Body Found In Frisco Woods Is Missing Woman
Updated 5:00 p.m. 4/20/2011
FRISCO (CBSDFW.COM) - Plano police identified a dead body found in a wooded area just after 8 a.m. near John Hickman and Dallas Parkway as missing North Texas fitness instructor Susan Loper, who was abducted from Plano on Tuesday.
Because of the condition of the body, officials weren't able to positively identify the race or age of the individual. Investigators would not say what condition the body was found in.
Investigators took some of the items found on the unidentified body to Loper's family, who then identified them as belonging to Loper.
Speaking at the Loper family home Wednesday afternoon, family friend Marla Malone confirmed to 1080 KRLD that the body found in Frisco is that of Susan Loper. Plano police later confirmed the information, saying it appeared to be a "very violent attack."
The Collin County Medical Examiner's Office is performing an autopsy.
On Tuesday police said they believed Loper was a victim of foul play. Around midnight Wednesday, Plano police found her 2010 Toyota Rav 4 in a public parking lot near Preston Road and the Dallas North Tollway.
At that time, investigators said evidence inside the vehicle suggested the woman may have been an aggravated kidnapping victim.
Loper, a 40-year-old single mother from Frisco, was abducted from Gleneagles Country Club in Plano where she's been a pilates instructor for more than 16 years. Her vehicle was found about a mile and a half from the country club.
"There are no words to describe what we're going through," said best friend Marla Malone. "It's gut-wrenching."
Police believe Loper had made it to work on Tuesday, since all of her belongings were there.
"Everything there that our investigator located... things they found there makes us believe this was a possible abduction," said Rick McDonald, a Plano Police Department spokesman.
Plano police said they've executed a search warrant at the Frisco home of Loper's ex-boyfriend. Detectives removed items from the house, but did not find the man, police said.
Family, friends and co-workers became concerned when Loper missed several appointments. Her best friend Julie Mitchell explained, "She is a very routine driven person. She has never, not done what she was going to do. She has never stood up an appointment."
Loper was set to open her own fitness studio later this week.
