Published: May 12, 2009 02:45 pm      

Body of missing ISU student found in river

Terre Haute — The body of Gerald Smith, missing Indiana State University senior, was recovered from the Wabash River Friday evening.

Smith was found near Kimmel Park in Vincennes around 7:30 p.m. May 8. He had been missing since May 1.

Knox County Coroner Don Halter ruled his cause of death as accidental drowning.

Smith, 22, was an insurance and risk management major and was set to graduate from ISU last Saturday. He was a 2005 Avon High School graduate and is the son of Robin and Billy Hill, also of Avon.

“On behalf of Indiana State University, Cheri and I offer our deepest sympathies to Robin, Billy, and all of Gerald’s family and friends,” ISU President Daniel J. Bradley said in a press release. “We are proud of the way the university came together during the past week to search for Gerald.”

Smith was recognized during the spring commencement ceremonies at the Hulman Center with a moment of silence. Tara Singer, vice president of communications and marketing for ISU, said Smith’s mother was presented with his diploma cover during the graduation ceremony.

“It was very somber here on campus Friday night,” she said. “It led to commencement being bittersweet for a lot of people, particularly Gerald’s friends and people who knew him. We award diploma covers at commencement, not degrees, and his mother was presented with the diploma cover.”

Smith was last seen in the early morning hours of May 1, leaving the Ballyhoo Tavern at Ninth and Chestnut streets in Terre Haute, which is just east of the ISU campus. His body was found nearly 57 miles downstream in the Wabash River in Vincennes.

Campus police, local law enforcement officials, and staff and students at ISU launched a week-long search for Smith. The ISU Foundation also set up a reward fund, which topped $3,000, to help in the search.

Singer said part of that money will now be used to set up a scholarship fund in Smith’s name.

Funeral services for Smith will be 10 a.m. May 15 at Weaver & Randolph Funeral Home, 102 S. Indiana St., Danville. Calling is from 3-8 p.m. May 14.



charlee.beasor@flyergroup.com