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Death Of Delaware County High School Teacher Whose Body Found In Brandywine River Over Summer Ruled Homicide

WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) -- Delaware State Police say the death of a teacher whose body was found in the Brandywine River in Wilmington over the summer has been ruled a homicide. Fifty-year-old Susan Ledyard died due to blunt force trauma and drowning.

susan ledyard
(Credit: CBS3)

"There's somebody out there that knows something," Ledyard's father, Jack Morrissey, said.

Ledyard's family is still desperately waiting to learn exactly what happened to her.

"It's not still even quite real to me in a way," her sister, Missy Morrissey, said.

Ledyard's death has felt unreal for nearly four months. Her body was found in the Brandywine River on the morning of July 23 in Wilmington -- only now has her death been officially ruled a homicide.

"We talk about it all the time, that we don't think we can get to the full grieving process until we understand what happened," Missy Morrissey said.

"It's hard to sit and know that there is somebody out there that did this," Jack Morrissey said.

Ledyard was a teacher at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill.

Her car was found three miles upriver from where her body was recovered.

"Not finding out what happened is not an option," Missy Morrissey said.

Ledyard grew up in Kennett Square and later graduated from Tatnall School in Wilmington.

"A Tatnall graduate was murdered in Wilmington, practically in Greenville," Ledyard's sister said.

Her family and police are pleading for tips, both seemingly small and large.

"I think that tipster will feel so good if they will come forward," Ledyard's mother, Serena Morrissey, said.

Police are continuing to actively investigate her murder.

If you have any information about this case, call police at 302-365-8441 or 302-365-8411.

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