Northeast Iowa officials are releasing more details about the death of a Buchanan County woman and have ordered an autopsy on her body. Authorities believe Patricia Rapacki was fatally stabbed with a hunting knife. Her body was discovered in her Jesup home Monday, six days after officials began searching for her. That search began January 6th when Rapacki’s boyfriend — Lynn LaMasters — was arrested following a high-speed chase. Investigators say an initial search of Rapacki’s home last week turned up no evidence in her disappearance. Police obtained a search warrant over the weekend, and discovered Rapacki’s body stuffed in a locked basement freezer during a second, more-thorough search of the home. Investigators have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Meanwhile, LaMasters, who stabbed himself before last week’s capture, was released from a Waterloo hospital yesterday. He was booked into the Buchanan County jail on unrelated drug charges.
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