LURAY, Va. -- A body found in Shenandoah National Park Thursday afternoon has been preliminarily identified as missing Fairfax County Firefighter Nicole Mittendorff, Virginia State Police confirm. The search for Mittendorff has been suspended.
The female remains were found around 2 p.m. Thursday at White Oak Canyon trail, the area Mittendorff’s 2009 Mini Cooper, was found on Saturday April, 16.
“The remains are being transported to Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas for autopsy, examination and positive ID. However, we have preliminarily identified her as Nicole K. Mittendorff, 31, of Woodbridge, Va.,” Virginia State Police said in a press releases. “The physical and digital evidence collected during the course of this investigation – to include a note recovered from her car – leads us to believe there was no foul play involved in her death.”
Nicole Mittendorff
Shenandoah National Park confirmed the finding Thursday:
"At approximately 2:00 p.m. a ground team of National Park Service and Virginia State Police personnel discovered a body in a remote location more than a mile from the Whiteoak Canyon parking area and about 330 yards from the trail in treacherous rocky terrain. National Park Service and Virginia State Police are currently still processing the scene."
The Finding Nicole Facebook page posted a message following the discovery of the remains.
Mittendorff last had contact with her family on Wednesday, April 13.
She was reported missing to Virginia State Police on Friday, April 15. Her car was found in the White Oak Canyon Trail area of Shenandoah National Park the next day. Family and friends said Mittendorff would often go to the Shenandoah National Park to train for sporting events.
Wednesday Fairfax County fire officials reported the 31-year-old firefighter called in sick before she went missing.
Stay with CBS 6 for the latest on this developing story.
Wednesday, April 20 update from State Police
Virginia State Police said they are still in the process of establishing a timeline of Mittendorff’s movements from the last time she was in contact with family through when her car was located.
They said physical and digital evidence collected during the process of the case have been critical in focusing and conducting the search operations within the park.
Virginia State Police updated the search Wednesday saying the evidence still suggests nothing suspicious about her disappearance. Police said they have received more than 100 tips from the public regarding Mittendorff’s disappearance.
