Sheriff: Missing N.D. Student’s Body Found

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The body of Dru Sjodin, the University of North Dakota student who disappeared last November, has been found, the sheriff said Saturday.

Sheriff Mark LeTexier sobbed as he told volunteers, “Dru is home.” He later confirmed that authorities had found Sjodin’s body.

Scores of volunteers had joined the search for the 22-year-old student on Saturday. The Pequot Lakes, Minn., native was last seen in November at a shopping mall in Grand Forks where she worked at a Victoria’s Secret.

A handful of Sjodin’s relatives continued searching through the winter, but official searches had been halted in December because of severe weather. Authorities resumed searching earlier this month.

Sjodin’s parents spoke to a search party of more than 100 on Saturday morning.

“Your legs are our legs today, and our voices for Dru,” said her mother, Linda Walker.

Convicted sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., 51, of Crookston, has been charged with kidnapping Sjodin and pleaded not guilty.