Lynn cops hand off search for woman

LYNN – The Peabody Police Department said Thursday it will take over as the lead agency investigating the disappearance of a 58-year-old woman who was last believed to be in Lynn before she disappeared Monday night.The unidentified daughter of Alice Nunes, of 397A Lowell St., Peabody, called Lynn police to report she had a conversation with her mother via cell phone at about 8:45 p.m. Monday when Nunes said, “I’m about to hit some water” and the phone suddenly went dead, a police source confirmed.The daughter reported that Nunes said she was driving through Lynn while they spoke on the phone. The call was transmitted from a Wyoma Square cell phone tower, meaning Nunes’ last phone call was made within a 15-mile radius of Wyoma Square, Lynn police said.Peabody police spokesman Lt. Dennis Bonaiuto said Thursday that his department has been involved in the investigation from the beginning and investigators have searched both Brown and Spring ponds in South Peabody.”We have been working [the investigation] and we’re going to continue to work it,” Bonaiuto said. “We’re very hopeful this will have a positive conclusion.”State and Lynn police used infered and underwater cameras, as well as a State Police helicopter and a boat to search all bodies of water in Lynn including Lynn Harbor for the past three days to no avail, Lynn police spokesman Lt. William Sharpe said.”We’ve exhausted our investigatory avenues as they relate to the city of Lynn,” Sharpe said. “The Peabody Police Department is taking over the investigation and pursuing the incident as a missing person case.”Sharpe said dive teams have not been used in the search. He said typically a witness has to see a person go into a specific body of water before a dive team is called.Nunes’ family repeatedly refused comment to Item reporters.Bonaiuto said Nunes was known to drive a black 2007 Lexus ES350 with Massachusetts license plate No. 21GX72. He said previous information incorrectly stated she drove a 2003 Lexus.Nunes is described as 5-foot-4 with light brown hair and brown eyes.If you have any information on Nunes’ whereabouts, call Peabody police Detective Robert Church at 978-538-6360 or the Peabody police department’s main phone number at 978-531-1212.