After several days of fielding tips from the public, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday it successfully identified the victim whose body was discovered in Jordan Lake last week.
A release from the office said the body — which a forensic sketch shared with the public said is a possible homicide victim — is of Apex resident Hadeel Ghadhanfer Hikmat. She was 34 years old. The sheriff’s office said Hikmat’s positive identification was ultimately determined through fingerprint analysis.
Wednesday’s update said the investigation into Hikmat’s death and how her body ended up in Jordan Lake is ongoing. In Saturday’s alert about the case, authorities said it was determined that the victim’s death is believed to not be accidental or self-inflicted.
Hadeel Ghadhanfer Hikmat, 34. (Photo via the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.)
According to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, a boater at Jordan Lake called 911 around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29 and reported seeing a body in the water near the Farrington Point Boat Ramp. The sheriff’s office shared that it quickly recovered the body and launched an investigation. On Saturday, the office released a forensic sketch of how the victim was believed to look while alive and asked for the public’s help in identifying them or providing tips on suspicious activity around Jordan Lake.
Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson said in Wednesday’s message that his office has since been contacted by several families who are reporting missing women. In its release, the office said its “thoughts and support” goes out to those families and it hopes that law enforcement’s continued efforts can help locate those other people.
“We are very appreciative of the dedication and collaboration of the news media, family members, and fellow law enforcement agencies as we work to bring closure to this matter,” said Roberson. “We’re still relying on the community’s assistance in providing Hadeel Hikmat’s family with the answers they deserve in their loved one’s passing.”
The Sheriff’s Office requests that anyone who was acquainted with Hadeel Ghadhanfer Hikmat and has any information about her whereabouts, interactions, or any relevant details, to please contact the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office at 919-542-2911.
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