Body of doctor found inside chimney after she tried to break into boyfriend's home



A doctor has died after she tried to sneak into her lover's home by sliding down the chimney.



Dr Jacquelyn Kotarac's decomposing body was discovered three days after she went missing in Bakersfield, California.

The 49-year-old had first tried to force entry to the house using a shovel, then she climbed a ladder to the roof, removed the chimney cap and slid feet first down the flue.

Killed: Dr Jacquelyn Kotarac died wedged inside a chimney

Authorities said her lover, William Moodie, had already left the house 'to avoid a confrontation'.

Mr Moodie, 58, described their relationship as 'on-again, off-again', but refused to comment on the circumstances surrounding her death.

He said: 'She made an unbelievable error in judgment and nobody understands why, and unfortunately she's passed away.

'She had her issues - she had her demons - but I never lost my respect for her.'

Mr Moodie, who runs an engineering consulting firm, said Dr Kotarac often provided service and medication free of charge to her patients.

An outside view of the chimney Dr Kotarac apparently died in



Dr Kotarac apparently died in the chimney, but her body was not discovered until a house-sitter noticed a smell and fluids coming from the fireplace on Saturday.

The house-sitter and her son investigated with a torch and found Dr Kotarac's body wedged around 2ft above the interior fireplace opening.

Firefighters spent five hours dismantling the chimney and flue from outside the home to extract her body.

Officials said her office staff reported her missing when she failed to show up for work. Her car and belongings remained near Mr Moodie's house.

A cause of death has not been determined. Foul play is not suspected, although investigators are treating it as suspicious.









