Monday, May 20, 2013

News
Search For Samantha Koenig Ends and Grieving Process Begins
Medical examiner's office confirms they found the body of 18-year-old barista
By KTVA CBS 11 News


ANCHORAGE – Wednesday afternoon Anchorage police said the medical examiner’s office confirmed that the body found Monday at Matanuska Lake is Samantha Koenig.

The two month long search for the 18-year-old barista has ended, but the grieving process has just begun.

A Koenig family friend said they’ve been pulling together for strength over the last few days, depending on each other and the community for support to make it through.

At Common Grounds Espresso stand, where Koenig was last seen, bouquets of flowers in her memory have been piling up since Monday evening, when word of her discovery began to circulate.

The ice where divers found her body is marked with symbols of the community's grief.

While the Koenig family awaits autopsy results and makes memorial arrangements, a family friend said that grieving is a long process.

“They are supporting each other, and just kind of clinging on to each other right now for support and, love and that's a good thing,” said Michelle Tasker. “Samantha had an amazing family, and a very close family, and so right now they're just kind of banning together and they're going to get through it, it's just gonna take some time."

Starting Wednesday you might see green ribbons appearing across anchorage and this time Koenig’s favorite color ribbons have a different meaning – they are now in her memory.

No service has been scheduled yet.