April 21 update: Crink family thanks search and rescue teams

After an intensive weekend search for a missing Edgecomb woman, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office reported April 20 that her body had been discovered in Wiscasset in the Sheepscot River.

According to an April 20 press release, the body of Lynne Crink, 74, was discovered in the river at approximately 1:50 p.m. on Monday by a couple walking their dog along Water Street in Wiscasset, just north of the Donald Davey Bridge.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded and recovered the body from the water.

The location of the body was approximately 5.3 miles north of the Crink residence, which sits on the shore of the Sheepscot River on Quarry Farm Road in Edgecomb.

The release goes on to state that Lynne Crink was last seen on Friday afternoon, April 17, around 4:30 p.m. at her residence at by her husband, Robert Crink, who told authorities that she said she was “going for a walk.”

Robert Crink reported his wife missing on Saturday, April 18 at 1:23 p.m., according to an earlier release.

Extensive ground, water and air searches were conducted over the course of the weekend by the Maine Marine Patrol, Maine Warden’s Service, Maine State Police, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Lincoln County Search and Rescue.

According to Maine Marine Patrol Sergeant Tom Hale, three officers searched by boat upriver and downriver from the Crink home for approximately three hours beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Other parts of the property were also searched, Hale said.

Hale also said that Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office detectives met with Robert Crink on Saturday.

Early Sunday morning the Maine Marine Patrol resumed the search by boat, and also by air, Hale said. Two Marine Patrol crews began in Wiscasset and traveled both shores of the Sheepscot River, according to Hale.

Also on Sunday, a Boston Whaler towing a side-scan sonar was searching the river, Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett said in an interview near the Crink home. A Maine State Police dive team was called in in case any targets were found to check on, Brackett said.

In a telephone interview Sunday, Sheriff’s Detective Terry Michaud said there had been no indication that Lynne Crink was in the water or the area.

“We don’t know where she is,” Michaud said. “We’re just following all the steps.”

Hale said that the search ended on Sunday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m., with no plans to continue the search unless further information was obtained. The search was officially suspended Monday morning, according to another release.

Lynne Crink’s body was being transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta for an autopsy and to determine cause of death, Monday’s release states. Investigators do not suspect foul play, it states.

In a statement sent to this newspaper on April 21, Bob Crink and family thanked all the participating agencies and officials who helped in the search for his wife.

“Each and every person involved was not only diligent and professional, but also courteous and respectful,” the family writes. “A special thank you to the many search and rescue volunteers who were an indispensable part of the search. You are each a real credit to your respective organizations.”

Crink went on to say that Lynne believed in volunteer service, and that she was actively involved in the Friends of the Boothbay Memorial Library Used Bookstore, and that cooking and books were lifelong passions. She also volunteered for St. Andrews Healthcare Center’s Good Morning Neighbor Program, checking in by phone daily with two local residents.

Before moving to Maine in 1998, Lynne Crink lived in Michigan, where she was a registered nurse specializing in end-of-life care, the family states. The family added that donations in Lynne Crink’s memory may be made to the ASPCA or to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter where Lynne adopted four cats.

Related:

Search suspended for Edgecomb woman missing since April 17

Crink family thanks community