The Big Black River’s water levels have lowered recently, limiting the progress of the multi-agency search for the remains of Ebony Owens.

Owens, a 36-year-old Edwards resident, was allegedly murdered by her husband, Michael Owens, last week. He was charged in her murder by the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office and was denied bond at his initial appearance in court.

Authorities currently believe that Owens’s body is in the Big Black River near the border of Hinds and Warren counties. Multiple agencies have been assisting the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office in the search, with search vessels being operated on the river for over a week now.

According to a representative of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, one of the agencies assisting in the search, the dropping water level after weeks of flooding, as well as the amount of debris in the river, has presented difficulties in the search, and the possibility of a severe weather event on Friday night may also affect which launch sites will be available for the search vessels as the operation continues.

Sheriff Tyree Jones of Hinds County recently stated that more personnel and equipment are being assigned to the search effort. He also stated that the criminal investigation into the murder is still ongoing.

The Vicksburg Post will provide further updates as information becomes available.