Missing Va. Firefighter's Body Found in National Park

The state medical examiner in Manassas is expected to confirm that the body of a woman found Thursday in the White Oak Canyon section of the Shenandoah National Park (Madison County) is that of 31-year-old Nicole Mittendorff, who went missing a week ago.

According to Corinne Geller of the Virginia State Police, the body was found by searchers about 300 yards off the White Oak Canyon trail and about a mile from the parking lot where Mittendorff’s car was found last Saturday.

While the medical examiner will make a final identification of the body, Geller said that a preliminary identification was made based on physical evidence found at the scene.

The state police spokesperson added that a note found Mittendorff’s car also provided evidence toward the identification.

Asked if the note indicated that the Woodbridge woman’s death may have been suicide, Geller said that it “was in that nature.”

She did not say when authorities found the note, adding that “there is no reason to believe that foul play was involved.”

Nor did Geller speculate on how long Mittendorff had been dead or whether any weapon was found at the scene of the “unattended death.”

State authorities, aided by the FBI, are working to create a timeline of Mittendorff’s activities up until the time she went missing, Geller said. She added that the state police had received more than 100 tips during the week.

Hundreds of volunteers, including members of the Stafford County sheriff’s office, have been searching—on the ground and by air - the White Oak Canyon area since last Saturday.

Geller said that the area where the body was found was “very treacherous, steep and rocky.”

Mittendorff, who worked for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, was reported missing when she did not report for duty last Friday.

?Donnie Johnston: [email protected]

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©2016 The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Va.)

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