Body Found Near Troy Positively Identified as Jennifer Rothwell

Beau Rothwell has been charged in the death of wife Jennifer Rothwell. - COURTESY ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE
COURTESY ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE
Beau Rothwell has been charged in the death of wife Jennifer Rothwell.

Authorities have positively identified the body found north of Troy as that of missing St. Louis County woman Jennifer Rothwell.

Police discovered the 28-year-old's remains late Monday night after her husband Beau Rothwell and his attorney met with investigators and told them where to look. 

Police say Beau, 28, killed Jennifer on November 11, and then used bleach to try to clean her blood out of the carpet of the couple's home in a neighborhood north of Creve Coeur. He was taken into custody two days later and eventually charged with second-degree murder and evidence tampering in the killing.

Police linked him to his wife's death after obtaining footage of him buying bleach, carpet cleaner and gloves the day she was killed, according to court documents. When they searched the couple's home, they found empty bottles of cleaner and carpet that was still wet with bleach.

They had previously found her abandoned car near Olive Boulevard and Fee Fee Road, less than two miles from the Rothwells' home.

Police spent six days looking for Jennifer, re-classifying her missing person case to a homicide after discovering the large amount of blood at the house. Beau directed them to an area along U.S. Route 61 near state Route KK, but his directions were vague. On Monday, police searched for six hours until they found the body.

They were nearly certain the dead woman was Jennifer, but waited for confirmation before announcing this morning that they has positively identified her.

Beau remains in St. Louis County jail without bond.

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