Tuesday, June 8th 2021, 9:19 pm
Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers recovered a missing woman's body from Fort Gibson Lake Tuesday.
Troopers said 48-year-old Krista Smith was on a pontoon boat with another person when she was reported missing from the boat Sunday. Smith was recovered Tuesday from Fort Gibson Lake east of the White Horn Cove Marina.
People in the community said they know who this victim was and describe her as a kind person who made friends with anybody - and this is the worst-case scenario.
"Any time she walked into a room she would light it up," said Chelsea Jones.
Jones is talking about Krista Smith, her best friend of more than 20 years. Jones said Smith was a mother, a daughter, and a beautiful person who made friends easily.
"She would start a conversation with a complete stranger, and carry on a full one at that," Jones said.
Whitehorn Cove Fire Chief Jay Stamps said a man reported Smith missing Sunday night from his boat and crews began searching that evening. Smith's phone was left on the boat, and they used data from it to find the spot where her body was found.
"Our team stayed with the body until the medical examiner got there, and we turned it over to M.E. and OHP," said Stamps.
Stamps urges people to be safe on the lake and says his crews are there to help.
"We're here for our neighbors, friends, and family, and we want to do our effort to help them in water rescue or fire efforts," Stamps said.
Jones just wants to know what could have led up to this.
"There's a lot of questions that haven't been answered," Jones said. "We're still in a state of shock. It's hard to believe such a precious human, being precious soul is gone, and so young."
Troopers have taken over the investigation and the FBI is also involved because Smith was Native American.
June 8th, 2021
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