Cops: Woman found dead in Fla. river was beaten

TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- Authorities are investigating after the body of a 24-year-old woman was found floating in the Indian River in Titusville, near the Kennedy Space Centeer.

Brevard County Sheriff's officials say Jennifer Hedges, of Brevard County, was beaten in the head with a blunt force object, reports CBS affiliate WKMG.

Hedges was found Thursday by a boater, the station says, and the Brevard County sheriff's dive team recovered the partially submerged body. Investigators say she was put in the river in an attempt to conceal her body. Investigators combed the area for evidence, but released few details.

An autopsy on Hedges ruled her death a homicide.

"I walked into the river (saw) what I thought was a dead manatee, but then walked up the river bank and saw it was a person," Fred Hillenbrandt told the station.

Hillenbrandt said Hedges was wearing a bikini top and shorts.

Investigators told the station Hedges was last seen alive Wednesday near a Titusville intersection. Deputies say they're investigating whether prostitution played a role in her death.

"Right now it's retracing her habits, her life, what she was doing the last 24, 48 hours before she died. This will be a legwork finding people and piecing together her activities to try and come up with suspects," Maj. Tod Goodyear told the station. "Hopefully the community can help us and lead us to whoever was trying to hurt her."

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-423-TIPS.