Divers Fail to Discover Missing Professor's Body

Divers in Winthrop, Mass. failed yesterday to find the body of the Graduate School of Education professor missing since January 17.

Police reported that four divers searched most of the day for Professor of Education and Social Psychology Lawrence Kohlberg, whose car, wallet, and top coat were found January 21 on a street beside Boston Harbor. There have been no other developments in the search for the professor, said Lt. Angelo LaMonica of the Winthrop Police Department.

"The chances of finding him in the harbor could be slim," LaMonica said. "But assuming that he is there, it is certainly worth a try. It's not rare to find bodies since they sometimes just lie at the bottom for a long time."

The search for Kohlberg, who police suspect may have committed suicide, will continue today. If no evidence is discovered, LaMonica said it is uncertain if the investigation will continue. But he added that the case will officially remain open until a body is found.

Winthrop Police have notified the National Criminal Information Center about Kohlberg's disappearance. LaMonica said a general broadcast has likely been made throughout the country to discover the professor's whereabouts.

It is suspected that Kohlberg committed suicide after a severe parasitic infection he contracted 15 years ago while traveling in Central America recurred. LaMonica reported that the manner in which Kohlberg's car was found, as well as the items within the car, led him to "strongly suspect that Kohlberg took his own life."

The registrar at the Ed School has cancelled the two classes Kohlberg was scheduled to teach this spring.