A search for a missing Florida runner is over after authorities believe her body has been discovered.
The body of 21-year-old jogger Arielle Valdes was found after she was last seen leaving her home on Wednesday, Aug. 28, to go on a run on the 90th block of Mariana Avenue around 6:30 p.m. in North Fort Myers, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said.
According to a report from People magazine, search by the sheriff’s office and civilians included marine vessels, aviation tools, drone and rapid DNA testing.
A body presumed to be Valdes’ was discovered by search crews along the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers on Monday, Sept. 2.
Preliminary findings do not indicate foul play, the LCSO said. At the time of the report, the department could not be reached for further details on Valdes’ cause of death.
According to Valdes’ family, she had “been having panic attacks as of very recently and has not been speaking much the last week.”
Valdes’ mother told police that she “had been acting strange for the last couple days” and mentioned that “she was hearing demon voices in her head,” according to a police report obtained by the New York Post.
Tributes for Valdes came pouring in via social media.
“Ari you were too good for this world. I love you and I will see you again in every lifetime. You are a piece of my soul that I will always look for,” she wrote.
“My sister was a real life angel,” Hergert wrote in another post. “I know this is all for a greater purpose.”
On the “Finding Arielle Valdes” Facebook group, members of the community were thanked for their search efforts.
“The efforts we made together were widespread and unforgettable, showing just how powerful we can be when we unite for a common cause,” the post read. “In the face of this tragedy, we’ve proven that we are more than just neighbors – we are a true community, bound by our care and commitment to one another.”
And according to local outlet Wink News, On Thursday, a memorial run in Valdes’ memory was held in Lee County.
“I feel an overwhelming amount of love right now from the community, and I just want to say thank you to everyone that is here and organized this,” Hergert said at the event, the outlet reported.