After a five-day search for a missing woman, Florida authorities believe they have found the body of 21-year-old jogger Arielle Valdez.
Valdez was training for the marathon. Fort Myers News-Press, According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, the woman was last seen around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 28th, leaving her home to flee in the 90 block of Mariana Avenue in North Fort Myers.
A Department of Transportation camera captured footage of the woman running south on U.S. 41 about 15 minutes later, the department said. Another camera captured footage of the woman running south toward the Edison Bridge just after 6:50 p.m.
The search, conducted by the sheriff's office and private citizens, included boats, aerial equipment, drones and rapid DNA testing. Reported People.
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Ariel Valdes, 21, was training for a marathon when he went missing on August 28th. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
A body believed to be that of Valdez was discovered by searchers on Monday, September 2, along the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers.
LCSO said its preliminary investigation does not indicate foul play, and the department could not be reached for further details about Valdez's cause of death at press time.
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In social media posts released by Valdes' family during the search, they said she had “recently been suffering from panic attacks and has barely spoken in the past week.”
According to a police report obtained by the department, Valdes' mother told police her daughter had been acting strangely over the past few days and that she was “hearing voices from the devil in her head.” New York Post.
Valdes' sister, Isabella Helgert, paid tribute in multiple posts on social media.
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According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Valdez was last seen leaving her home to go for a run along the 90 block of Mariana Avenue in North Fort Myers around 6:30 p.m. She was seen on Department of Transportation security camera footage around 6:45 p.m. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
“Ali, you were not worthy of this world. I love you and in every life I will see you again. You are a part of my soul and I will always seek it out,” she wrote.
“My sister was truly an angel,” Hergert wrote in another post. “I know this is all for a greater purpose.”
In the “Find Ariel Valdez” Facebook group, community members expressed their gratitude for the search efforts.
Valdez's body was found between two bridges over the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
“Our efforts together were extensive and unforgettable, demonstrating just how powerful we can be when we come together for a common purpose,” the post read. “In the face of this tragedy, we have proven we are more than just neighbors – we are truly a community bound together by our compassion and commitment to one another.”
Ariel Valdez missing poster. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
The GoFundMe was originally set up to raise a reward for “anyone who provides family or law enforcement with information that directly leads to the discovery of Ariel,” but now organizer Joseph Sowells says in a description of the fundraiser that the funds will go directly to Hergert.
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A memorial run was held in Lee County Thursday in Valdez's memory. Wink News Reported.
“I'm feeling an overwhelming amount of love from the community right now and I want to thank everyone who came out here and helped organize this,” Hergert said at the event, according to the media outlet.
