Police: Missing CDC worker's body recovered in Atlanta river

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Associated press

Police: Missing CDC workers body recovered in Atlanta river

1 hour ago

ATLANTA (AP) The body of an employee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who was reported missing more than six weeks ago has been found in an Atlanta river, police said Thursday.

Timothy Cunninghams body was recovered by rescue workers in the Chattahoochee River in northwest Atlanta late Tuesday evening, Atlanta Police Department spokesman Carlos Campos said in an emailed news release. ... No other details were immediately available. Police planned a news conference for Thursday afternoon.

Cunningham, 35, was an epidemiologist at the Atlanta-based federal agency. He disappeared Feb. 12. His family reported him missing on Feb. 16 after going to his home and finding his belongings and vehicle there. ... Police previously had said they had no evidence of foul play but couldn’t rule it out. The civilian group Crime Stoppers offered a reward of up to $15,000 for information pointing to any criminal activity.

CDC officials said previously that reports Cunningham had been passed over for a promotion were incorrect. In a statement, the CDC said Cunningham received an “exceptional proficiency promotion” July 1 to the position of commander, an early promotion reflecting his excellence as an employee.

Read more: https://apnews.com/802a6ec4ac1b4e109c77c55583d6d370

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Police say the body of a CDC employee reported missing more than six weeks ago has been found in an Atlanta river.

Link to tweet

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LIVE: APD, Fulton Co. Medical Examiner & AFRD providing info on body found in river, CDC employee Timothy Cunningha…

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[Achilleaze]

1. Foul play?

[onecent]

2. i didn't know anyone was missing.....Yes, is it foul play??? Anyone know?

And don't forget being gone in the waters was 6 weeks...won't be anything to find.

[Demovictory9]

12. it was a major story two months ago

[Clarity2]

3. I never bought no foul play

And I dont buy it now.

Sorry, but I doubt he left his keys home and decided to drown himself or go swimming.
http://people.com/crime/why-cdc-scientist-timothy-cunningham-missing-unusual/

[barbtries]

4. the CDC has also

disputed what i had interpreted to be a possible motive for suicide. looks like he was murdered.

[Clarity2]

18. Yes

Because who says they dont feel well, then goes out to the water, without his keys?
Wonder how far he was found from home and if it was walking distance.

[MosheFeingold]

5. On the bright side

The body is not up and walking around and biting people. Never know with the CDC.

In seriousness, yes, this reeks of foul play. But, being an old cop and prosecutor, I strongly advise starting with the significant other in his life and working your way out.

Some things are very predictable, murder more so than other things.

[FirstLight]

8. right?

I thought back when the story of him disappearing broke that it wouldn't end well. He had some info and was going to talk, or had made a statement... I'll have to go look it up now.

But ya, at least he's not un-dead!

[raven mad]

10. MosheFeingold, DU is fortunate to have you.

I know I, for one, tend to "gallop off in all directions" and foget the KISS maxim.

Thanks for being here.

[Clarity2]

17. Well

It could happen! https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2018/04/04/he-thought-something-was-wrong-with-the-raccoon-then-it-stood-on-its-hind-legs/?utm_term=.73b606266e99&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

I kid of course.

Normally I wouldnt go straight to conspiracy theory, but this administration...and Putin...its hard not to go straight to that. I mean how many russian spies have been killed off.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Dana Loesch tried to make this into an anti-flu vaccine conspiracy

by spreading fake news: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210296614

[Blue_Tires]

15. Loesch needs to be strapped in a rocket and fired into the sun

She wouldn't be missed

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. Missing CDC researcher Cunningham likely drowned, investigators say

7 weeks after disappearing, body of CDC researcher found

By Alexis Stevens - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Posted: 12:35 p.m. Thursday, April 05, 2018

It seemed as though Timothy Cunningham had vanished.

The 35-year-old reported to work Feb. 12 at Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but left a short time later, telling colleagues he didn’t feel well. It was the last time Cunningham was seen alive.

For more than seven weeks, Cunningham’s family and friends held out hope that he would be found safe.

But instead, the search came to a heartbreaking end late Tuesday when a body was pulled from the Chattahoochee River.

Missing CDC researcher Cunningham likely drowned, investigators say

Alexis Stevens The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

2:35 p.m Thursday, April 5, 2018

The Atlanta researcher reported missing more than seven weeks ago likely drowned in the Chattahoochee River, the Fulton County Medical Examiner said Thursday. There were no signs of foul play, investigators said.

Timothy Cunningham, 35, was last seen Feb. 12 leaving his job at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after telling colleagues he didn’t feel well. Cunningham’s family and police located his keys, wallet, cellphone, vehicle and his beloved dog, Mr. Bojangles, inside his northwest Atlanta home.

In the days after Cunningham’s disappearance, Atlanta police said he had been upset about not getting a promotion, according to the CDC. The CDC later retracted the information, saying that Cunningham had recently gotten a promotion. Late Tuesday, two fisherman spotted a body in Chattahoochee and called 911, according to police. Thursday morning, investigators identified the body as Cunningham.

The Morehouse College and Harvard University graduate was an epidemiologist, working for the chronic disease department of the CDC.

[KT2000]

9. Expected but very sad

I wonder what clothes he was wearing - jogging or work clothes. Lots of people claim the conspiracy theory having to do with the fly vaccine. I suspect murder for other reasons.

[Phentex]

13. He was wearing his favorite jogging suit

according to reports.

[KT2000]

19. thanks

[BobTheSubgenius]

11. I know it can get very warm in the Atlanta area, but it's not hot all year round.

Does anyone know what the Chatahoochee River is like in February? Is it at all likely he would have been swimming? And, if not, what does that leave? He walked there and fell in? He didn't sound like a candidate for suicide, but I guess it can't be ruled out, absent any real evidence.

[Phentex]

14. Found in running clothes and I doubt

he would be swimming there in February. And anyone working at the CDC probably wouldn't want to swim in that water. People float down in tubes but there are nasty spills in it all the time as well as ongoing clean up projects.

If he left work for not feeling well, it's possible he had some medical issue while running and fell in.

Or he met up with someone up to no good. The rest of the story doesn't sound like someone who wanted to die.

[nitpicker]

21. The authorities discourage people scrambling down in the Potomac River Gorge

Just about every year, there are rescues out of there.

Many years, there are drownings too.

In 1970, two of my neighbor's kids had to be rescued from there.

[irisblue]

16. He chose to leave his dog alone for 4 days?

Nope.
I do read a lot of mysteries though.

[nitpicker]

20. From BBC ((it may have been an accident or something else))

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43658329

Timothy Cunningham: government scientist found dead

5 April 2018

(snip)

According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Cunningham, who was known to collect rocks, was found with crystals in his pocket and wearing running shoes. His death has been classified as a drowning.

"Since the investigation is ongoing, we do not have...whether it was an accident, a suicide, or anything other than that" he drowned, said Fulton County Chief Medical Examiner Jan Gorniak.

Mr Cunningham, who was an epidemiologist in the CDC's chronic disease department, lived with his dog. The pet, along with Mr Cunningham's keys, wallet, phone, identification, credit cards and passport were all found by investigators safely locked in his Atlanta home.
(sniop)