Body found is likely Cathryn Gorospe, teacher who vanished after bailing out felon

PHOENIX -- Police on Friday say they found a body that is believed to be that of a 44-year-old Arizona teacher who went missing last week after posting bond for a felon.

Flagstaff police say they found the body likely belonging to Cathryn Gorospe on Friday and that an autopsy is pending. They wouldn't say where the body was found or what the cause of death could be.

The body recovery came after family and friends conducted an unofficial search for the Phoenix-area kindergarten teacher who went missing after posting bond for her friend, 27-year-old Charlie Malzahn, on Oct. 6, the woman's stepmother Deidre Gorospe said early Friday.

Authorities said Malzahn, who has a criminal history, wouldn't tell investigators about the woman's whereabouts. CBS affiliate KPHO reports authorities believe Gorospe was either in a romantic relationship with Malzahn, or had been in a previous romantic relationship with him.

"We do believe foul play has been afoot, and Mr. Malzahn is a primary suspect," Flagstaff police spokesman Cory Runge told the station.

The Arizona Republic reports Malzahn is also suspected in a string of crimes across the state in the days following Gorospe's disappearance that include an Oct. 8 assault of an Arizona State University student in her dorm room. Moments after that assault, Tempe officers reportedly responded to a carjacking a block away in which a driver said she was threatened by a man armed with a crowbar who stole her keys and fled in her car.

Tempe officers later identified the suspect as Malzahn. They do not believe he previously knew the student who was assaulted.

About three hours later, Phoenix police reportedly spotted Malzahn driving Gorospe's white Toyota Rav4 about 20 miles away. He allegedly tried to flee officers before he crashed the vehicle and was taken into custody, the Arizona Republic reports.

Flagstaff police believe Malzahn took Gorospe's vehicle from her at some point on the night of Oct. 6, and he allegedly tried to get a gun and drugs from an acquaintance in Clifton early Oct. 7.

Malzahn allegedly tried to buy items at a Tucson mall Saturday afternoon with Gorospe's credit and debit cards, which he told police he had permission to have.

Tucson police impounded the cards, and Malzahn drove off in a vehicle that had some blood on the center console, inside door panels and sunroof area, according to the Clifton acquaintance.

Malzahn was released from prison in November 2016 after serving time for theft, aggravated assault and resisting arrest, the paper reports. He was back in jail this month following an Aug. 20 incident in Tempe in which he allegedly threatened his sister with a gun, stole her car and was later found by law enforcement at a bar with a loaded hangdun. Gorospe posted his bail in the case Oct. 7, the paper reports, hours before she vanished and the alleged crime spree began. 

Runge said law enforcement officers found the body believed to be Gorospe during a search. Police confirmed to KPHO that the remains were not found in Flagstaff or Coconino County.

"The Flagstaff Police Department would like to express our condolences to her family and thank the public for their patience and assistance during the search for Cathryn," Runge said in a news release.

About 25 people from Coconino County Sheriff's Office, including search and rescue volunteers, two dog teams and regular deputies were searching the forests in the Williams area, Wiltenmuth said.

The two were supposed to eat dinner and return together to Phoenix, according to Gorospe's roommate, who reported the Arrowhead Elementary School teacher missing Sunday afternoon.

Deidre Gorospe said a botanist looked at forensic evidence of vegetation on her stepdaughter's vehicle, and narrowed it down to three plants that only grow together in two areas of Arizona. Those places are the mountains near Williams and Top-of-the-World in eastern Arizona.

Deidre Gorospe said her stepdaughter's Christian spirit would lead her and that she is nice to everyone.

"She's always trying to help an underdog, and that's what we think might have happened," Deidre Gorospe said.

The Deer Valley Unified School District released a statement to KPHO saying her students, friends and colleagues are deeply saddened and had "hoped and prayed for a different outcome."