Body identified as missing woman; boyfriend facing murder charge

A body found Thursday in a shallow grave has been identified as a missing Columbus woman and her boyfriend is being charged with murder.

The body, found just off of County Road 400N, has been identified as 37-year-old Heather A. Steuver, who had been missing since Aug. 22nd. She died of blunt force trauma to the head, according to Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting.

A missing person’s report was filed on Aug. 26th and assigned to Sheriff’s Department Detective Kevin Abner, who believed the circumstances were suspicious.

During the investigation, her boyfriend 38-year-old Patrick E. Doyle, of Columbus, was arrested and taken to the jail on a preliminary charge of possession of child pornography. He has since been additionally preliminarily charged with murder.

Chief Deputy Maj. Chris Lane praised the work of Detective Abner, saying the detective put in long hours and worked diligently to obtain the result.

Photo of Heather Ann Steuver courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.