Body found in missing Lake County woman’s car

Authorities in Lake County on Wednesday recovered a woman’s body from a vehicle registered to a veterinarian who has been missing for a week, sheriff’s officials said.

Helen Sharp’s Toyota 4Runner was found early Wednesday by a property owner in a remote area off Jerusalem Grade near Middletown, Lake County Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Brooks said.

A woman’s body was inside the vehicle, but deputies were not able to immediately identify the person, Brooks said. An autopsy to identify her and determine how she died is pending.

The owner of the property where the vehicle was found called 911 at about 6:30 a.m. and a dispatcher checked the license pate and confirmed that Sharp was the registered owner of the Toyota, Brooks said.

Sharp, 45, of Middletown was last seen June 10 and was upset at the time, according to the Sheriff’s Office. She was reported missing the next day, Brooks said.

A family friend told the Press Democrat earlier this week that Sharp had a history of depression.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.