Exhaustive search turns up missing body
Police believe body found near I-495 in Franklin is that of missing Duke student Michael Doherty
FRANKLIN, Mass. — Police in Massachusetts say they've found a body believed to be that of a missing Duke University student.
Franklin police say the body was found by two civilians around 2:30 p.m. Saturday in dense woods and thick underbrush near Interstate 495.
Police say the body is believed to be 20-year-old Michael Doherty, of Franklin. Doherty was reported missing last Sunday. Authorities say he was last seen leaving a party in the early morning hours.
His disappearance prompted a weeklong search in Franklin and nearby Bellingham.
Police say an identity confirmation won't be available until an autopsy is performed.
Franklin police had issued a release earlier on Saturday stating that the search for Doherty had progressed beyond the original 1- mile perimeter.
As the search entered its sixth day, covering difficult, marshy terrain and temperatures near or above 90 degrees for three straight days, ground teams and K9 units had tracked deeper into Bellingham, and the State Police helicopter continued to provide overhead support. Franklin parties were also utilizing assets from the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (MetroLEC), the South Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC), the Massachusetts State Police and civilian search teams.