09/21/2026
“THE BRIDGE LADY” POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED
MOREHEAD, KENTUCKY — The Rowan County Coroner’s Office and the Morehead Police Department announce the positive identification of the previously unidentified woman, commonly referred to as “The Bridge Lady,” whose remains were discovered on December 15, 2018, beneath a bridge on Kentucky 32 in the City of Morehead.
Rowan County Coroner John P. Northcutt responded to the scene and pronounced the woman deceased at 12:44 p.m. An autopsy was subsequently conducted in Frankfort by Kentucky Chief Medical Examiner William C. Ralston, M.D. Her death was determined to be from natural causes.
Despite extensive efforts at the time, authorities at the local, state, and national level were unable to establish the woman’s identity or locate any relatives. After several weeks of searching, her remains were laid to rest on January 8, 2019, at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Morehead.
Over the years, the unidentified woman became known throughout the community as “The Bridge Lady.” Her identity remained a mystery despite continued efforts by local, state, and federal agencies to search available records and databases. She had never been entered into any missing-person database, making efforts to identify her particularly difficult.
During the years, tips and information from concerned individuals across the country and even from Europe were carefully investigated, but none led to a positive identification.
Recently, however, a new lead from a family member sparked the investigation again and resulted in a fingerprint match through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Columbus, Ohio.
The woman has now been positively identified as Floy Denise Long, who was 65 years old at the time of her death.
Since the positive identification, Coroner Northcutt has been in contact with Ms. Long’s family.
The identification brings resolution to a case that remained unanswered for nearly eight years and provides an answer to a question that has remained with the Morehead community since December 2018.
Coroner Northcutt extends his sincere appreciation to Sgt. Alex Hamilton of the Morehead Police Department; William C. Ralston, M.D., the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office; the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Detective Terry McConnell of Columbus Police Department, Columbus, Ohio; and all other local, state, and federal personnel who assisted in the efforts to identify Ms. Long.
Northcutt also expressed his appreciation to the citizens of Morehead and Rowan County for their continued interest and concern throughout the years.
Nearly eight years after she became known to the community only as “The Bridge Lady,” the wait is over. The unidentified woman finally has her name back: Floy Denise Long.
