Cops: Body of missing woman Leanne Bearden found in Texas

SAN ANTONIO – Police confirmed that a body found in Garden Ridge early Thursday afternoon is Leanne Bearden, the woman who had been missing for more than three weeks, CBS affiliate KENS reports.

Garden Ridge police confirmed the body was the 33-year-old Bearden at 3:45 p.m. Thursday after investigators said a man found her body in a wooded area behind his home at 12:18 p.m. KENS reports that her body was found hanging in a tree and is currently in the possession of Central Texas Autopsy in Lockhart, Texas.

No cause of death has been released. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

Investigators would not reveal whether they were searching for a suspect in Bearden’s death. Police identified the woman by her backpack and ID. The body was found only a few blocks away from where Bearden was last seen at her in-laws’ home.

Greg Pyles, of Texas Search and Rescue, said that homeowners in the area were asked to search their properties after Bearden’s disappearance. The area where the body was found was reportedly searched several times by the woman’s family and thus was not included in the search eight days after her disappearance.

“When you do come in eight days after an occurrence, you have to take that and weigh how best to deploy your resources,” said Pyles. “You only have one day and you have to make sure you are using the best science and mathematical chances of finding that person… It was a huge effort and it takes a while to organize it all.”

On Thursday evening, the family issued a statement that read: "Our family is understandably devastated by the news of the recovery of the remains of our beloved Leanne. We wish to thank the myriad of people who helped us search for Leanne and who supported us during this entire nightmare…. Although this is not the outcome we had hoped for, we draw comfort and strength from the outpouring of prayers, actions and good wishes from all…. Leanne was a lovely and remarkable young woman, and we will all miss her greatly."

"We've all been praying for her and the family for three weeks," said neighbor Carol Edwards. "I sympathize with them.... [J]ust what they've had to go through, not knowing. That's the worst part."

Bearden, along with her husband Josh, had spent the past two years traveling the world. Her family said that the “pressure of transitioning” back into normal life may have caused her undue stress.