Christian Aguilar: Body found in Florida may belong to missing student, father says

(CBS) CEDAR KEY, Fla. - The father of Christian Aguilar is helping investigators determine whether a body found Friday in rural Levy County belongs to his missing 18-year-old son, CBS Miami reports.

Pictures: Univ. of Florida student missing

Carlos Aguilar traveled from Miami to meet with investigators after a body found in Cedar Key matched the description of the missing University of Florida student. Christian Aguilar was last seen on Sept. 20 in Gainesville with his friend, 18-year-old Pedro Bravo, who has been charged with first-degree murder. Police said Bravo told them he beat Christian unconscious and left him in a parking lot.

Levy County investigators said two hunters discovered a body around 2 p.m. Friday while looking for firewood. They detected the scent of decomposing flesh and thought it belonged to an animal, but later discovered what appeared to be a partially buried, partially decomposed human body.

Gainesville Police said they are assisting the Levy County Sheriff's Office after being notified of the discovery. Investigators said they found blue Vans shoes and blue jeans with the decomposed remains which seem to match items Aguilar was wearing when he disappeared. Duct tape was also found.

Police have yet to formally link the evidence and the body to the missing student, but Aguilar's father told CBS Miami on Saturday morning that the family asked volunteers to call off the search.

"We, as a family, believe that Christian has been found and our prayers have been heard," Carlos Aguilar said.

The Alachua County Medical Examiner won't confirm any information until the autopsy is completed on Tuesday.

Complete coverage of Christian Aguilar on Crimesider