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Subscribe to RSSA forensic anthropology team rappelled 150 feet to the W Road on Saturday afternoon, carrying brown paper bags with what are believed to be Gail Palmgren's remains.
The scattered skeletal remains, collected close to where Palmgren's Jeep Rubicon lay smashed, will be taken to the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility, commonly known as the Body Farm. Experts will reconstruct the skeleton and confirm Palmgren's identity through DNA and dental records, said Sheriff Jim Hammond. It could be next week before the identity is confirmed.
The team had to map, tag and photograph the area before moving the bones.
Timesfreepress.com: Helicopters won't be used to bring down Jeep
Officials believe Palmgren's Jeep veered off East Brow Road and dropped hundreds of feet off a precipice. It rested there for seven months, until the leaves fell and aerial crews spotted it Thursday.
Sunday, investigators are expected to remove Palmgren's crimson Jeep.
Authorities decided against using a military helicopter to lift out the vehicle because it is too close to the bluff to be safe.
Hammond said Doug Yates Towing and Recovery Services made an assessment of the Jeep and its location. The heavy-duty wrecker service often takes on involved projects such as uprighting overturned loaded tractor-trailers, according to its website. Yates could not be reached for comment Saturday.
"They are telling us they can do it. In the morning, we'll start that phase. We want to get the vehicle to assist us in our investigation," said Hamilton County Capt. Bill Johnson.
"It's going to be more of a block-and-tackle to lower it down without causing any more damage than what it has already been caused," Johnson said.
Investigators are trying to process the scene before up to 3 inches of rain set in.
"The rain may delay us. We're watching the weather. We would really like to recover the vehicle as soon as we can," Johnson said.
Palmgren disappeared April 30 after driving her children from the family's lake house in Wetumpka, Ala., and dropping them off at their home in Signal Mountain.
On Friday her husband, Matthew Palmgren, issued a statement through his attorneys, Lee Davis and Bryan Hoss.
"It is with great sadness and profound loss that Matthew Palmgren, the Palmgren children and entire family come to terms with this tragic news. For seven months, Matthew Palmgren has assisted authorities in the disappearance of his wife, and he continues to cooperate in the aftermath of this missing person's investigation. ... As difficult as today's news is for everyone in the Palmgren family, Matthew Palmgren wishes to thank the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Signal Mountain Police Department, all emergency services, and all other law enforcement and volunteers who assisted in the search for Gail Palmgren."
Barriers?
While many questions remain about the crash, some community members are concerned about the lack of barriers in places in the 1400 block of East Brow Road.
East Brow hugs the bluff for four miles, extending from North Palisades Drive in the town of Signal Mountain into the town limits of Walden before reaching the W Road. Notorious for its treacherous ledges and cherished for its valley vistas, the road frequently verges a yard or two shy of sheer cliffs.
There is no consistent barrier system along the ledges of North Palisades and East Brow on the Signal Mountain or Walden side. Along much of the roadway, they aren't needed: There are generous shoulders, lines of trees and even houses between the road and the cliffs.
Some of the drop-offs are blocked by guardrails, and one escarpment on the Walden side is guarded by a low, 200-foot stone wall. But there are plenty of spots where only a few feet of grass separate cars from sky.
"It's really scary to drive if you've never been up there," said Elizabeth Aikens, who was mayor of the town of Walden from 1996 to 2002. "I have had people come here and say they will never come back because of the height."
But residents say accidents are rare, and that a car plunging over the side is virtually unheard of.
"Even when it's snowy and foggy, you really don't see accidents on this road," said Wendi Lyness, who has lived on the mountain 20 years.
The speed limit on East Brow is a cautious 30 mph on the Walden side, where Palmgren went off the road. But people accustomed to the terrain frequently go faster, residents say.
"People drive very fast down the road. It's very easy to get comfortable with it if you live up here," said Diane Helton, who lives a few houses from the area where the Jeep left the road. "But when it's rainy or foggy, it can be scary. I can't see to the end of my driveway sometimes."
The spot where Palmgren's Jeep went off the road was blocked by several boulders, including a 100-pound rock that a neighbor noticed months ago was missing, sheriff's officials said.
Crews found the boulder resting near the Jeep.
Safety vs. views
Bill Cotter said he believes more barriers should be built along the road.
Cotter was an alderman in the early 1990s when the board voted to build the stone wall. There was a steep drop-off, and officials were concerned about safety.
But so many residents complained about the wall obstructing their view that the board decided not to build any more barriers, Cotter said.
"They wanted beauty and not safety," Cotter said "Everyone was saying, 'No one had ever driven off the ledge.'"
Most homes lining East Brow have been built only in the last 20 years. The majestic views of Chattanooga's downtown, the river and Lookout Mountain make for prime real estate.
Helton said there are several spots along East Brow Road that still make her wary, but she said the area where Palmgren's Jeep went over has never been one of them.
"There's a bend right before, but it completely straightens out right there," she said. "That's never been a spot to make me nervous."
Contact staff writer Kate Harrison at kharrison@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6673.
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This tragic story may be self-explanatory to readers of the local news media for which it originally was written, but a national MSNBC reader has to infer from well-buried clues that it probably occurred in the Chattanooga, TN area. Come on, MSNBC, tell us where the news occurred.
Yes, it's Chattanooga.
I've driven that mountain many times in a tractor-trailer, delivering to a grocery store on top of the mountain. Yes, a sleeper-tractor pulling a 53' trailer. Very beautiful mountain. It would be very easy for a car to disappear there and it not be noticed where it went off the road.
HMMMMMM
I agree, this story needed some supplement to be interesting.
How stupid can you get. People are looking for this person its on the news. May have known she drove this road. which has a rock missing from it edge and the person that notices this along with all the other that drive this road say nothing till now. WTF just stupid. I do not know about the rest of you but I do watch the side of the road as much as the rest of the road. I do live in a mountonus area. there rocks that fall on to the road in certain areas and some that were never cut back far enough which makes a tight squeze. too far to right at the wrong time and yo be missing a front wheel. If I see fresh marks leaving the road, I will stop and check over the edge to see what is down there.
I would have thought that highway patrol or local sheriff deputies that regularly patrol this area would have noticed the missing boulder themselves and would had stopped to investigate why. Giant heavy rocks just don't pick up and walk away and I would imagine they're stolen very often either. With a local family woman gone missing along with her vehicle with no reported sightings anywhere, ever, along with that big missing rock along road she travels often or was known to be travelling that day, she should have been found very quickly. This sounds like very, very poor law enforcement work. How very sad and tragic for the family. I hope that her death was instantaneous and that she didn't find herself suffering for several days down in the ravine, possibly yelling for help with no one hearing her, before succumbing to her injuries. Or worse, wild hungry animals. They really do need to forgo the pretty views and put up safety barriers to prevent further deaths.
Of course they would notice the boulder. Blocking the jeep and with other boulders (which one went with the jeep and which ones were disturbed on the way down) and leaf covered trees. If it was raining or foggy, then it's entirely possible that could have missed the curve, or hydroplaned into the boulder. Both would go over the precipice. Apparently the trees and rocks were unaware that they were supposed to leave neon arrows for the police. Second guessing is kinda like assuming...making you look like an ass.
Of course they would notice the boulder. Blocking the jeep and with other boulders and leave covered trees. If it was raining or foggy, then it's entirely possible that could have missed the curve, or hydroplaned into the boulder. Both would go over the precipice. Apparently the trees and rocks were unaware that they were supposed to leave neon arrows for the police. Second guessing is kinda like assuming...making you look like an ass.
A hundred pound rock isn't really that big.
Arizona Tumbleweed : you're right. One post said about the size of a 5 gallon can and I was thinking 10 bags of sugar weighing 10 pounds each; heavy, but not much in size.
A few are making assumptions. Even if the rock was missing, perhaps a few kids were messing around in that area and pushed it over the edge. It's possible her vehicle carried it over as it also went over the edge but we don't know for sure and no way to "verify" that the rock that was originally there was actually pushed over the edge by this vehicle. Also, like a few have stated, a 100 pound rock is not that big, about the size of a car tire depending on the type of rock it was. And perhaps there weren't any skid marks, the article doesn't mention that fact.
As far as the highway patrol noticing something, face reality. Not only did the police not notice, but people driving that road over the 7 month period did not notice either. Not to mention the fact that if the road does have steep drop offs, a safe driver would be paying attention to their driving, not the scenery around them. Now like mj899 said, I too watch not only where I am going but I watch my surroundings. But as much as I try to pay attention, I can't possibly see every inch of my surroundings, especially when driving. My main concern is the safe driving of my vehicle so that I'm not causing an accident by running off the road or hitting others. And as safe a driver as I've been, you can't prepare for everything.
Another thought. Since we're talking about the mountains, how do we know if an animal of some sort (deer, dog, etc) wasn't a factor in the accident. We don't. Mypov is right, second guessing and assuming only confirms a foolish mind. Don't be so quick to rush to judgment.
Dan, I thought the same thing on the skid marks. If the road were damp and she hydroplaned there wouldn't be much, if any, rubber transfer. The rock, however, is another story. If she did push it over the side there will be a good deal of paint and plastic (bumper cover) transfer.
Like you I feel driving is not only about seeing the pavement before you but ALL surroundings. Hazards most often come from the peripherals, not straight ahead.
I did accident investigation for years, but I will not lay out my speculations about how remains were scattered or the safety issues regarding the road. I will, like others posting here, hope she did not suffer. Her family is going through a difficult enough time right now. All they need to know is that she isn't suffering now, and that she's at peace.
I don't know "how stupid can you get". I agree that somebody should have checked out the site of the missing rock. Maybe they did. They did not see the Jeep until the leaves fell. No one has gone over the cliff in 60 years. A hundred pound rock is missing. Maybe some kids pushed it over to watch it go down the cliff. You where not there, so "how stupid can you get"?
You know what gets me about these blogs, other than lousy reporting and putting pictures of the same thing in multiple stories. Is the fact that readers do not pause, take a breath, check out the information from somewhere else, but they just shot from the hip. I am sure that many that respond here have a college education and hold down responsible jobs that require thinking before speaking.
So, why don't you type what you feel, and then go back and read another article without hitting the "Post Comment" tab. Or if you still feel like posting it, open another tab on your browser, read another article, come back reread what you wrote, edit it if needed, and then post it. That way you feel better, and people do not wonder if you are a grade school dropout.
And, yes, I paused, reread this, edited it, most likely missed a typo, and now I am going to post it.
there is a big difference in kids rolling a rock over the edge and a car pushing one over. The car will cause the rock to leave a plowed trail. I have observed this a number of time. Look over the edge and the trees will have their limbs torn off. The lack of public awareness is very disturbing to me.
If you don't drive this road than you really can't comment on how the rock was missed by observers. There are hundreds of rocks which do fall on a frequent basis. On the mountain that I live on (which is nearby) rain and the resulting waterfalls dislodge rocks that are 10 times the size of the one in the article and cause them to tumble down the mountain.
"Doug Yates Towing and Recovery Services" They could do something the US Military COULDN'T do. Hmm...wonder how much THAT advertisement cost, or is the military really that slack now????
or why use militaryt for civilian work???? if its safer to use there system use it. the military can do any thing.
Do what you're best at. Who's going to hire the towing company to shoot Afghans?
It was pointed out that it was not safe to use a helicopter so close to the face of the cliff. The towing company isn't going to use a helicopter. They plan to winch it out. Slower, but safer.
gosh, i hope she didn't die waiting for rescue :(
A "100-pound rock" does not a boulder make kiddies. Think: Smaller than a 5-gallon can. I know the dingalings who wrote this went on to call it a boulder, but they also probably spent half the day telling each other how cute their shoes are. At least make an attempt to engage your brains before you "Monday morning quarterback" the folks who have worked on this for months.
Sort of like the newscaster this summer who said a "single bat will eat 2 MILLION mosquitos per day". I mean do these idiots on the news realize how many 2 MILLION is?? This bat would have to fly 24/7 with its mouth open all the time and still wouldn't come close to 2 MILLION. The correct response is 2000 mosquitos per day. I think the same person determined that a 100 pound rock is a BOULDER. Perhaps they should get out of the office and go to the mountains. I have a boulder in my front yard as part of my landscaping. And it is a boulder--weight 2200 pounds!
Check the brakes. My money's on the husband. (According to another story, they were splitting up it was a clear day and a relatively straight stretch of road.)
On the other hand, if they were splitting up, I can see her being distracted. All it takes is one moment of your eye being off the road in normal conditions, I can't imagine what it is like there. I don't think he would want to take a chance on harming the children, even if he wanted to harm the wife.
Anything bigger than a cobble is classified as a boulder children.
A very sad story. Thankfully they did find her remains and the vehicle. But the story is fishy, and I too feel that the husband was behind it. check the brake lines. Were they cut? Were they tampered with? A marriage falling apart can become deadly. Especially with children involved, property, etc. A very sad ending to a life. I can only hope that death came quickly for the poor woman.
If you have never driven in this area of the country please do not comment on what should or could have been done to find her. I drive through Chattanooga every year on the way to Florida and I could easily understand how a vehicle could go off a road and not be found until fall. There is no way anyone would see a vehicle in trees. Even an aerial search would not find a vehicle unless it was out in the open without trees. I am just glad they found the vehicle and now can start making peace with what happened. It will also put to rest all of the suspions that are put on the family when someone disappears. Everyone is always so quick to blame and point fingers when sometimes it is just a pure accident. My thoughts are with the family and may they always remember all of the good times and not the bad.
Boulder...a rock larger than 10" in diameter.
Seven month's! If my wife went missing in similar circumstances, I would walk the entire route looking for clues.
yes this what I was thinking of. Jo ann If you have ever driven on the Mineral King road in tulare County Ca, you would think this road in Cahttanooga was a free way. Like 1 and 1/2 lanes and 400 feet to the river below and not one single guard rail. Makes the Death road seem tame
In Jamaica where I was born, there was a dead body down in a ravine several hundred feet down and we could smell the decomposition as we drove by. It was obvious that it was human and not an animal. Also, it wasn't uncommon to smell roadkill that had been decomposing. Weird that I've never really noticed smells like that since I've lived in the states for the last 3 decades.
An interesting supplement to this story... http://www.nooga.com/24998_vehicle-of-missing-signal-mountain-woman-found-search-continues
Apparently there is a bit more to be considered...
Here's an interesting story with some background info... http://www.nooga.com/24998_vehicle-of-missing-signal-mountain-woman-found-search-continues
Sorry for the double post... didn't think the first one posted.
I live in this area and this has been big news for the past half-year. Family, friends and neighbors have been frantically searching for her and begging for community help. Signal Mountain has a lot of treacherous roads and even the most seasoned driver could make a fatal error, especially if in a distraught emotional state. Yes, she and her husband were splitting up and there is always the possibility that there was foul play involved, or suicide or just plain poor driving. Regardless of the cause, the community is in mourning and has received the worst kind of closure.
Really? Beauty over safety? That is why there is no wall there? Enjoy your view
Wow... never thought about the husband cutting the brake line.... another Scott Peterson perhaps? The wreckage will sing like a canary. I hope for the kid's sake, this was just an accident.... losing their mother was bad enough.