Body of missing AIG executive Omar Meza found in pond

PALM DESERT, Calif. - The body of missing AIG executive Omar Meza was found floating in a pond near the 18th hole of the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs Resort on Thursday afternoon, reports CBS affiliate KESQ.

Dive teams and search dogs with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department scoured ponds and searched the grounds at the resort for several days after the 33-year-old vice-president for AIG Financial Distributors was last seen there on January 8 at about 11 p.m.

Family members posted this message on Facebook: "We are with heavy hearts tonight as we announce the passing of Omar Meza. He was a very loved son, husband, brother & friend. We would like to take this time to grieve his passing and ask that everyone please respect our privacy at this time."

Meza was reportedly in town for a work conference. His wife said he travels to the area every other month for work and knows the area well, but that he may have be suffering from long-term effects of a serious car crash in 2014.

KESQ reports that coworkers said they last saw Meza leaving an Indian Wells restaurant Thursday night. Meza told an Uber car service driver he wanted to go to the Marriott on Cook Street.

"We spoke on the phone. He was going to be heading to his hotel room," said his wife Diane.

He was actually staying at a smaller Marriott Residence Inn on Cook Street, but he got dropped off at the wrong hotel.

Diane Meza said she spoke to her husband around 11:20 p.m. on Jan. 8, as he left that night's dinner with colleagues; he said he would call her when he returned to his room but never did.

Meza was reported missing after he failed to show up for meetings on Friday Jan. 9. Police found Meza's jacket folded neatly on J.W.'s golf course, and his wallet.