A state coroner on the Greek island of Crete says the body of a woman believed to be a missing American scientist, who was a 1977 graduate of Byram Hills High School, died as a result of a "criminal act."

Antonis Papadomanolakis told The Associated Press that final confirmation was still needed to confirm identity of the body found Monday outside the port city of Chania, but he added it was highly likely it was Suzanne Eaton, a 59-year-old molecular biologist, who was reported missing last week.

The coroner said, "The only thing we can say is that the (death) resulted from a criminal act."

Eaton, who worked at the Max Planck Institute in Dresden, Germany, had been attending a conference in Crete. The police said officers from Athens including homicide detectives had traveled to the island to head the investigation.

AP wires were used in this report