Woman found outside city limits an apparent suicide victim

Boone County Sheriff’s deputies found the body of an apparent suicide victim just outside Columbia’s city limits Thursday afternoon.

Marie C. Johnston, 54, was found dead at the 3000 block of Moreau Road, which is near Route E just northwest of Columbia’s city limits, Sheriff’s Capt. Gary German said.

“From what it looks like, it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” German said. The weapon used was a handgun, he said.

German said deputies arrived at 1:40 p.m. after a passerby found Johnston’s body and called 911. He said Johnston had not been dead long when her body was discovered.

German said he did not know if Johnston had a history of mental illness or had previously attempted suicide.