Missing St. Louis Ballet Dancer Found Dead In Mark Twain Lake

MISSOURI — State law enforcement officials say a missing St. Louis ballet dancer was found dead Wednesday near Mark Twain Lake in rural Monroe County, Missouri. She was last seen Monday and reported missing Tuesday after a state trooper discovered her abandoned Volkswagen Jetta in the parking lot of the Highway 107 boat ramp.

More than 150 people joined state troopers and park rangers in searching for Stoik Wednesday morning, the Post-Dispatch reports. Her body was found in the lake shortly before 10 a.m.

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According to her Facebook profile, Stroik was a dancer at the St. Louis Ballet and a member of a young adult Catholic ministry. She is originally from South Bend, Indiana, and joined the ballet company in 2017. She had been featured in Cinderella, Giselle, The Nutcracker and other performances, according to the ballet's website.

Stroik said in a video posted to YouTube in September that she grew up watching The Nutcracker.

"Coming to St. Louis to dance with this person I had watched growing up was so exciting," she said.

Stroik was last seen at a Whole Foods Market in Town and Country, Missouri, about 20 minutes west of downtown St. Louis and more than two hours away from where her car was found, authorities said.

Anyone with information should call the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 660-385-2132.

Photos via Missouri State Highway Patrol