Arrest made in Nebraska involving a missing Iowa County Woman

DODGEVILLE, Wis (WRCO / WRCE) – The Iowa County Sheriff’s Office has an update to a search for a missing/endangered person. The Dodgeville Police Department is conducting an endangered missing person investigation that occurred Tuesday night (July 15). At approximately 7:50, the Dodgeville Police Department responded to a welfare check in the 300 block of East Division Street in the City of Dodgeville. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the missing person’s family members, who reported that the missing person had not been heard from since approximately 11:00 Monday morning (July 14).  

Dodgeville Police Department officers determined that evidence at the scene suggested that the missing person may be injured and/or in danger. The missing person’s vehicle was not located at the scene, and a public notification was issued.

Investigators discovered that the vehicle may be in the state of Nebraska, and information was relayed to the Nebraska State Patrol. At 1:50 Wednesday morning (July 16), a Nebraska State Trooper spotted the vehicle on I-80 in Lincoln. The driver was not the subject of the missing person case. The trooper attempted a traffic stop which resulted in a vehicle pursuit, ending when the vehicle crashed and the driver, identified as Gavin Thompson, 23, of Dodgeville, fled on foot, and was subsequently arrested and transported to the Lancaster County Jail in Nebraska.

The Iowa County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that a deceased adult female was located in the vehicle and are awaiting positive identification of the deceased female.  

The Dodgeville Police Department is leading this investigation and is assisted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), a DCI Crime Response Specialist, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory Crime Scene Response Team, Iowa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nebraska State Patrol.

Additional updates will be available via the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

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