Body Found In Levy County Believed To Be Aguilar
GAINESVILLE (CBSMiami) – The family of missing University of Florida student Christian Aguilar has called off the search for the former Doral Academy student after what appears to be human remains were found in Levy County.
The evidence found appears to be linked to the body to 18-year-old University of Florida student Christian Aguilar.
Levy County Sheriff's Office volunteer Fred Oliver said hunters discovered a body around 2 p.m. Friday on the grounds of the private Gulf Hammock Hunting Club.
Oliver said two men looking for firewood eight miles off State Road 24 on Parker Boulevard west of Otter Creek detected the odor of decomposition, and discovered what appeared to be the body.
Oliver said the men first thought the body was an animal, but found what appeared to be a partially buried, partially decomposed human body.
"The two young fellas were looking for firewood for themselves,'' Fred Oliver, a Levy County Sheriff volunteer told the Gainesville Sun. "They picked up the scent, the odor of something dead."
The men contacted the sheriff's office, which notified the Gainesville Police Department, which has been leading the investigation.
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, however, have yet to formally link the evidence and the body to the missing student.
However, Aguilar's father told CBS4 News Saturday morning the family believes Christian has been found, and asked volunteers to call off the search.
Carlos Aguilar, who has personally searched for his son since the day after he disappeared, is travelling this morning to Levy County, about 60 miles southwest of Gainesville.
"The police tell me they have a body that matches Christian,'' Aguilar told CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald. "I am just going to see if this is my son."
Aguilar's friend, Pedro Bravo and Aguilar were last seen together walking into a Best Buy on Thursday, September 20th. Aguilar disappeared that night.
The following Saturday, Bravo, 18, was named a person of interest in the case.
Police said he told them he beat up Christian and then left him in a parking lot.
On Friday, September 28th, police charged Bravo with Aguilar's murder.
