Law enforcement officials in the Denver area have identified the body found in Arvada earlier this week as that of Jessica Ridgeway.
The body was found Wednesday evening in Pattridge Park in Arvada, about seven miles from where she was last seen. Identification of the body was delayed because law enforcement said the body was "not intact". DNA was used to positively identify the body.
Jessica was last seen Friday, October 5 as she left her Westminster home to walk to school. She never made it to the park where she usually met friends for the remainder of the walk to school. Jessica's backpack was found in Superior on Sunday.
The open space where the body was found is south of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and is dotted with abandoned coal mine shafts. The area is favored by mountain bikers and model airplane flyers on weekends
Officials said the focus now is shifting from a search for Jessica to justice for Jessica, a mission to find out who committed this crime.
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