(WKYT) – The remains of a woman found in 2018 underneath a bridge in Morehead, known in the community as the “Bridge Lady,” have been identified as Floy Denise Long.
“Today, I’m proud to announce that the remains that were found on December the 15th were the remains of Floy Denise Long. She was 65 years of age at the time of her death,” Rowan County Coroner John Northcutt said.
Northcutt said Long was born in Bardstown, Kentucky, and was a U.S. Army veteran.
Her family in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, lost touch with her in 2003. Because she had never been reported missing, leads grew cold for years.
Case breaks open
That changed earlier this month when an ex-brother-in-law spotted a missing-person profile for her shared on Facebook and called Morehead police.
Investigators reached out to a Columbus homicide detective, who uncovered a fingerprint record from the 1970s.
“That was sent to the Ohio attorney general’s office and the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and they contacted me back actually that same day advising that it was a 100% match to Ms. Long,” Northcutt said.
Community remembers Long
Before being found beneath the Highway 32 bridge in December 2018, Long was known by many around town, as she lived on the streets.
When she died, hundreds in the community gathered to give her a funeral.
“So many people that live here in Morehead, it’s a small community. They cared about her. I spoke to a lot of people that would take her clothing. They would take her food… Our community supported her, tried to help her in every way,” Northcutt said.
Long is buried in Morehead, Kentucky, but her family is from Ohio. Morehead police said they have had preliminary discussions with the family about returning her remains, but that has not been determined.
Original story
After nearly eight years, Morehead’s “The Bridge Lady” has finally been identified.
Floy Denise Long, 65, was identified as the woman found dead beneath the Kentucky 32 bridge near Morehead on Dec. 15, 2018, by the city’s police department on Monday.
Long’s death was revealed to be from natural causes, and she was laid to rest in Jan. 2019 at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Morehead.
Law enforcement investigated tips from across the United States and even Europe but never made an identification. Complicating matters, Long was never entered into a missing person database.
After years of leads, the case cracked with a fingerprint match from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
The Rowan County Coroner’s Office has contacted Long’s family.