A 22-year-old Petersburg, Ky., man accused of dumping a body in the Ohio River is being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center, awaiting extradition to Kentucky.

        Richard Lambert was arrested after he checked out of University Hospital. Officials refused to say why he was in the hospital.

        He is charged with tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse, even though police have not yet found a body — which they suspect is in the Ohio River.

        At a boat ramp in Petersburg, a trail of what appears to be dried blood leads to the river. Police used underwater cameras to search the river until about 4:30 p.m. Friday, said Lt. Jack Banks, spokesman for Boone County Criminal Investigations. The search was to resume this morning and continue until 10 p.m. Sunday.

        “Boone County Criminal Investigations has worked closely with a number of agencies in the area, particularly Boone County Water Rescue, and we have kept Covington police apprised of all the developments,” said Lt. Banks.

        Police found blood in Mr. Lambert's 1998 Dodge Ram pickup, and impounded the vehicle.

        Lt. Banks said the incident, termed a “death investigation by other than natural causes,” unfolded Monday night when Mr. Lambert met an unidentified person in Covington near Madison Pike.

        Lt. Banks said police suspect a death occurred somewhere between Covington and Boone County.

        Lt. Banks said police have not received any missing person reports and are not certain of the identity of the person believed to be dead. Covington doesn't have any report of a person missing or abducted Monday night, said Lt. Col. Jim Liles, spokesman for Covington police.

        Anyone with information is asked to call Boone County police at (859) 334-2119 or Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040.

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