Friends await answers after teen found dead in Falls Lake

Elaina Athans Image
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Search for answers after teen's body found in Falls Lake
Angela Devine, a friend of Annalisa Schulze, called the victim a kind, sweet person.

WAKE FOREST, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Several Wake County deputies were seen collecting evidence and placing it in a bag Wednesday afternoon at Falls Lake, not far from where a 19-year-old college student was found floating in the water a day earlier.

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Annalisa Schulze, of Wake Forest, was discovered in the lake off Choplin Road.

ORIGINAL STORY: Wake County deputies ID woman found dead in Falls Lake

According to a 911 call, alcohol bottles were found near her body.

Authorities are not saying how she died and are awaiting autopsy results from the State Medical Examiner's Office.

Her death is being investigated as a homicide. Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison told ABC11 that Schulze was wearing a tank top and shorts when her body was found, and that she had a cut on her leg. Harrison said investigators aren't sure whether that happened at Falls Lake or earlier, and are waiting for the Medical Examiner's report.

One of her childhood friends told ABC11 that Schulze graduated from Wakefield High School and was home for the summer from East Carolina University.

Annalisa Schulze

"I just can't believe something like this would happen. It was way too soon," said Angela Devine, who has known Schulze since sixth grade. "She was the kindest, sweetest person that I know. I couldn't imagine anyone would want to hurt her, but you never know I guess."

Devine showed ABC11 a picture Schulze uploaded on Snapchat. The teen posted a picture of a dozen roses and with the caption "I'm a lucky girl." Several hours later, Schulze's body was discovered.

"It's just really hard. I'm kind of in that denial phase that she's just going to text me back," Devine said. "I've been texting her, expecting her to text me back to let me know she's OK. But I guess she's in a better place if she was suffering."