Authorities have recovered a body from the Caloosahatchee River, which is believed to be that of a North Fort Myers woman who has been missing since Wednesday.
In a Facebook post, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno stated that while forensic analysis hasn’t verified the identity, the body found is likely that of 21-year-old Arielle Reis Coutinho Valdes.
“Members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office located remains of a female while conducting a search along the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers,” Marceno said.
“The remains are presumed to be of missing 21-year-old, Arielle Valdes. Preliminarily, there is no evidence to indicate that foul play was involved.”
The discovery happened after the sheriff’s office released a new video in their ongoing effort to locate Valdes, who vanished while out jogging.
The footage captured Valdes running across the Edison Bridge at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Wednesday, the day she was last seen leaving her home off 90th block of Mariana Avenue in North Fort Myers.
Family members said Vadles was an avid jogger and had been training for a marathon. She was last seen in a beige hoodie, gym shorts, and black and white high-top shoes.
The LCSO Major Crimes Unit has updated the family with the latest information. The LCSO will continue the investigation in collaboration with the District 21 Medical Examiner’s Office.
The story is developing. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Lee County Sheriff’s Office]
