Body of missing Harvard student found in Portland

PORTLAND, Maine (WHDH) -- After nearly three days of searching the body of a missing Harvard Business School student was found in Portland, Maine less than 100 yards from where he was last seen.

Nathan Bihlmaier, 31, went missing after being asked to leave Ri Ra's Irish Pub and Restaurant at 11:30 Saturday night for being too intoxicated -- he and two classmates were in Portland to celebrate their upcoming graduation.

Divers found Bihlmaier’s body at the bottom of the water at the Custom House wharf at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Bihlmaier was reported missing at 9 a.m. on Sunday -- the Coast Guard and harbormaster combed the harbor in Old Port in Portland, State police divers searched the water, and a canine -- with the scent of a found article of Bihlmaier’s clothing -- walked the area where he might have been.

“The divers went down,” said Jason Patterson, who saw the diver find Bihlmaier’s body. “They sent up an orange buoy indicating that obviously they had found something.”

Bihlmaier and his wife, Nancy, were expecting their first child. He was expected to graduate from Harvard Business School on Thursday.

After leaving the bar late Saturday night, police said he called his friends at 12:15 Sunday morning, but cell phone records showed that at 1 a.m. his phone was no longer operable. It is unknown how Bihlmaier ended up in the water. Police will review area surveillance videos for clues.

"We continue to work on area video so we can try to narrow down exactly how Nathan entered the water," an official said.

Harvard officials are looking for a proper way to commemorate Bihlmaier during Thursday’s graduation.

 “We were proud to have Nate as a student at our business school and it’s a very sad day today indeed,” said Nitin Nohria, the dean of Harvard Business School.

Bihlmaier’s body was taken to Augusta, Maine where an autopsy will be performed.

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