Madison, Wisconsin – The search for 24-year-old Brooke Strattan has ended in tragedy, as her body was discovered in a pond at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum on Thursday, October 3, 2024.
Strattan had been missing since Monday, last seen near Odana Road and Whitney Way.
Authorities launched an intensive search in the area following her disappearance.
A homeowner near Monroe St. and Lewis Ct. reported seeing a body in the water, which led police to recover Strattan’s remains.
Investigators used a drone to help identify the body before confirming it was Strattan.
The Madison Police Department has arrested Strattan’s boyfriend, James H. Barnes, in connection with her death.
Barnes was initially taken into custody on unrelated charges but has now been formally charged with Strattan’s murder.
Alex Burns, a friend of the deceased, shared his thoughts on social media, writing, “I told her he was going to kill her.
I just hope it didn’t go too far and she’s gone.”
Friends and community members have expressed their condolences, with one individual, Haley Smithx, saying, “I really hope she’s found safe.”
Unfortunately, that hope was not realized.
Strattan’s family is expected to release further information regarding funeral arrangements in the coming days.