Officials: Body believed to be missing Elvis fan

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Authorities in Tennessee are performing an autopsy on the body of a woman who they believe is a missing Elvis Presley fan from Scotland who came to Memphis for the anniversary of the singer's death.

Stephanie Dowell, administrator of the Shelby County Regional Forensics Center, told The Associated Press Tuesday that the body was brought in Monday, and "based on the information our investigators received at the scene, she was an out of the country visitor." The body was found near the place where the missing woman was staying.

Dowell said she can't release the woman's identity until after the autopsy, but believes she was visiting from Scotland and was in Memphis for the Elvis activities last week. Results from the autopsy could take several weeks.

Forty-year-old Gerrie Lawrie was reported missing Saturday by former Shelby County Sheriff Gene Barksdale, who had spent time with her while she was in Memphis for the Aug. 16 anniversary and related events, according to The Commercial Appeal (http://bit.ly/n73vju ).

A police spokeswoman did not immediately return a call to the AP on Tuesday seeking comment about the case.

Officers have said there were no obvious signs of foul play, but they were still investigating.

Memphis acquaintances told the paper this was Lawrie's sixth visit to Memphis and that she wanted to move to the city where Presley spent much of his life and died. It's also home to his Graceland estate.

Lawrie did not fly home to Aberdeen, Scotland, as scheduled, the paper said.

Barksdale said he had not seen Lawrie since escorting her to her rented vehicle in a downtown parking garage last week. The paper said he walked with her to a second story, where her vehicle was parked, and she gave him a lift back to his.

The ex-sheriff, 89, told the paper that Lawrie works for an oil company in Scotland.

John Helms, a Memphis artist who said he has helped act as a host during her visits, said she has not answered his attempts to reach her by email, cell phone and the Skype Internet service.

"Either she has turned off communication or else someone has for her," Helms told the paper.

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Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com

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Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com