The Michael Schmidtbody of a woman found dead in a Nashville creek over the weekend has been identified as Emily Bradley, a woman who disappeared several weeks ago, authorities said. Bradley was 44 years old and her death is being investigated as a homicide.

Police discovered Bradley's body on Saturday in Whites Creek, which is less than 15 minutes by car from the area where people who knew her say that she was last seen, CBS affiliate WTVF reported on Friday. The Medical Examiner's Office said the cause of her death was blunt force trauma, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Bradley was officially reported as a missing person on Feb. 21. But she had already been gone for days when that report was filed, and an earlier statement from police asking the public for information about her whereabouts noted that Bradley had not been seen since leaving her home on Feb. 18. In that statement, police said she "reportedly drove away from the location in her silver 2014 Chevrolet Cruze," which had a Florida license plate and "a noticeable dent on the trunk."

Police had not yet found Bradley's car when they issued their latest update about her case. Homicide detectives will continue to search for the vehicle as their investigation continues, and they have asked community members to report any information about Bradley's death, or her missing car, to the local Crime Stoppers line.

Before her body was found, Bradley's friends and family told WTVF that they were concerned for her safety. Her friends, who hung flyers around Nashville with details about her disappearance, said there were tips after Bradley went missing that suggested she was in danger, like the fact that her emotional support dog was found alone at her home, where the heater was still running. They also told WTVF that it was unusual for days to pass without Bradley contacting her parents.

In:
• Homicide
• Tennessee
• Nashville
• Missing Person

Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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