GLENDALE (CBSLA) – The body of a 37-year-old missing woman from Glendale was found on Saturday, deputies said.
The LA County Sheriff’s search and rescue team found a body near Mt. Waterman Trail in the Angeles National Forest at around 1:30 pm on Saturday.
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The area is steep and rugged terrain. The crew managed to recover the body for the Coroner’s Office, identified as Narineh Avakian.
Avakian was last seen on March 7, leaving her home for a day’s hike. Police say she did not tell her family where she was going, but it was not uncommon for Avakian to go hiking with a group or alone.
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(credit: Glendale Police Department)
Avakian’s vehicle was found on Thursday parked in the Buckhorn Day Use Area along the Angeles Crest Highway, an area that police say was heavily affected by this week’s snowstorm.
With the discovery of Avakian’s vehicle, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officers deployed a search and rescue team, even though 30 inches of snow fell overnight, according to Glendale police. The worsening weather conditions forced the search to stop at around 2 am on Friday morning, but efforts were resumed a few hours later. The vehicle was towed back to the Glendale police station for further processing.
More than 60 researchers from 17 counties joined this effort. Investigators say there were no signs of a crime.
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The coroner’s office will now take over the case to find out the cause of death.