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Investigators looking for any information that might explain death of Batavia woman

By Howard B. Owens

Investigators are piecing together the final hours of Deborah Maniace.

The body of 47-year-old Batavia resident was found early Saturday morning next to the train tracks under the CRX overpass on Clinton Street Road, Stafford.

Maniace had attended the Elba Onion Festival Friday and been out with her boyfriend. At 2 a.m., Maniace called her son and said she was walking home.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said that a just-released medical examiner's report says her wounds were consistent with a fall from a bridge. There is no other sign of trauma -- not from a fight and not from a car hitting her, and she was not sexually assaulted.

There are no skid marks or other markings on the roadway at the bridge that would suggest she had to move quickly to get out of the way of a swerving car.

Brewster noted that the wall along the bridge roadway is pretty high. It would be hard for a 5' 2" person to just fall over.

There is no indication that Maniace was suicidal.

"We would love to talk with anybody who might have seen her walking on Route 33," Brewster said. "We would like to talk to anybody who drove that section of Route 33 between 2 and 3 a.m. and didn't see her -- we would like to know that, too."

To contact the Sheriff's Office, call 585-345-3000.

George Richardson

I've watched enough true crime television to tell you what the Police will do. They will arrest the boyfriend and refuse to look at any other possibility. She didn't fall without someone helping to push her over the side and why would the boyfriend leave her behind to walk home unless he got drunk at the Onion Festival and they got into a fight? That could easily be totally wrong and probably is, but that's how law enforcement will approach it and I will read about it in three or four days, right here on The Batavian, my #1 source for Genesee County News. Any bets? Too bad, I'm not taking them I'm just saying, wait and see if I'm not right on the money.

Aug 9, 2010, 3:34pm Permalink
George Richardson

"Brewster noted that the wall along the bridge roadway is pretty high. It would be hard for a 5' 2" person to just fall over." I wonder if it was just a little too high to sit on and rest but she tried hopping up anyway and fell over backwards? I wish there were some pictures of the scene.

Aug 9, 2010, 3:51pm Permalink
bud prevost

George- this is the bridge maybe 700 feet east of the intersection of rt 33 and seven springs rd(bohns). I hope the authorities can conclude this to be a terrible accident, and not a willful act.

Aug 9, 2010, 3:58pm Permalink
dennis wight

I believe she lived on Horseshoe lake rd with the tracks at the end of the back yard. George, law enforcement most definitely will look at the boyfriend as there have been domestic violence issues in the past.

Aug 9, 2010, 6:27pm Permalink
Gary Spencer

George says "I wish there were some pictures of the scene."
I hope you mean you would like to see pictures of the bridge, and not of the "crime scene", if you want to see the bridge it is not hard to go there.

Dennis, I am sure the tracks don't actually end at the back yard, they run near the yard, but ending there would leave no place for the trains to go!!!

Aug 9, 2010, 8:09pm Permalink
George Richardson

No Gary I didn't mean the crime scene and it may not have been a crime. I live out of State and can't picture that location clearly in my mind although I know it's still there somewhere hidden between fun times and lousy jobs. I'll try for Streetview, or at least Google earth.

Aug 9, 2010, 8:24pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

George if you use the satellite view on Google Maps, you can zoom in a bit and get an idea. Unfortunately, street view isn't available for that location. I won't have time to go out and get a picture that shows the bridge area.

Aug 9, 2010, 8:57pm Permalink
George Richardson

Thanks Howard, that's what I did and now I remember exactly where it is. Someone said her home backs up to the railroad tracks, could she have been taking a shortcut and fallen down an embankment or was it a straight drop off of the bridge? I'm not a detective, I just play one on The Batavian. I hope they figure it out and I sure feel for her son.

Aug 9, 2010, 9:51pm Permalink
Gary Spencer

Dennis,
Sorry I read it again, must have been my dyslexia.
George,
gotcha, it is a typical overpass, the sides are somewhat high, maybe four feet, probably less.
I think there will be more news to come.......

Aug 9, 2010, 10:17pm Permalink
B Graz

Why don't you people try a little sympathetic compassion for the tragedy, rather than playing like board-game detectives?

Has Deputy Brewster contacted any of you for help in his investigation? ...I didn't think so.

Aug 11, 2010, 12:10am Permalink

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