It is with a heavy heart that we must report the death of one of our own. Sarah Donovan, 44, was found dead today in her home. She was a longtime reporter for the Emerson Valley Gazette, where she worked alongside her husband Charles Donovan, our current Editor-In-Chief. Sheriff Victor Grayson entered the house after a tip led him to investigate suspicious noises and a terrible stench that had reached as far as the neighbors’ properties.

When nobody answered the door, Sheriff Grayson broke it down and quickly narrowed the source of the horrid smell to the basement. There was a section of the concrete floor that was a slightly different color. New concrete had been poured to fill in where some of the original floor was removed, and the sheriff suspected that there was a body hidden underneath it.

A team was brought in to break the discolored section of concrete, and that led to the discovery of the decomposing body of Mrs. Donovan. The county’s medical examiner was able to determine that she’d died by strangulation approximately one month ago. Currently, Mr. Donovan is considered a person of interest. However, he hasn’t lived in the home for more than a year, having moved out when he and his wife separated.

The exact circumstances surrounding Mrs. Donovan’s death are currently unknown, but the authorities are certain she was murdered. Further tests and a police inquiry are being conducted to pin down the exact date she was killed. Sheriff Grayson is confident that they will have more information very soon.

For the time being, Mr. Donovan is still in charge of the Gazette. However, that does not mean we won’t report the details of this case as accurately as possible. If it turns out he was involved in his wife’s death, he will receive the same treatment in the press as anyone else. We are here to report the truth, no matter how much of a dark stain it will leave on our paper.

If you have any information concerning the murder of Sarah Donovan, please contact the Emerson Valley Sheriff’s Department, or email the Gazette at emersonvalleygazette@gmail.com.

-Quinn Paxton, Local News, Emerson Valley Gazette