Sadly, police believe the search for Ahreal Smith has ended with the discovery of a body matching her description being located on Tuesday.
The body was found on a property in Heathsville, Virginia, the same city where Smith disappeared on January 12th. Shortly after 9:00 p.m. that evening, the 28-year-old was seen on surveillance footage at her job, the Claraville Little Sue store. She was seen starting her car before going back inside to lock up for the night. Smith was captured on film, taking the trash to the dumpster located on the east side of the building. She never re-emerges. A coworker found her car still running the following day.
Investigators arrested 50-year-old Tyrone N. Samuel on Saturday in connection to Smith’s disappearance and previously confirmed that he’d abducted her as she took out the garbage. It was unclear what he’d done with the young woman until now. Her family said that they didn’t believe they knew each other, but Northumberland County Sheriff Johnny Beauchamp says he thinks they were acquaintances but not romantically or personally.
The NCSO confirmed that they’d found the body “after an extensive search operation throughout the day,” though it is unclear if Samuel gave them any indication where to look.
The medical examiner will now conduct an autopsy to make a positive identification and determine a cause of death.
