Crime & Safety

News Nearby: Body of Missing Roswell Native Found in Texas

Leanne Hecht Bearden, a Roswell High School graduate, had been missing since Jan. 17 until she was found dead near the Glen Ridge, Texas home where she had been staying.

The body of a missing Roswell High School graduate who went missing in Texas last month was discovered early Thursday not far from the home where she was last seen four weeks ago.

Thirty-three-year-old Leanne Hecht Bearden, a Roswell native and University of Georgia graduate, was found in a wooded area in the San Antonio suburb where she and her husband were visiting.

Bearden had gone for a walk in Garden Ridge, Texas on Jan. 17 and never came back. According to the San Antonio Express News, authorities have not released a cause of death per an autopsy.

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Bearden and husband, Josh Bearden, had recently returned from a two-year trip around the world. The couple, who resided in Denver, Colo., prior to their globe-trotting adventure, were visiting Josh’s family in Texas when she took off on what was supposed to be a 60-minute excursion.

Her family, who reportedly still live in the metro Atlanta area, posted a statement on the Facebook page dedicated to locating Bearden:

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. We also wish to thank the members of the media who helped us tell our story. We thank the Garden Ridge Police Department and the other many agencies that provided such caring service to us. We especially thank the Heidi Search Center for their wonderful help and support. 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, including over 20,000 Facebook friends. We ask your continued prayers and good wishes for our family. Leanne was a lovely and remarkable young woman, and we will all miss her greatly.

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