The body of intern Chandra Levy, who had a close relationship with former US Representative Gary Condit before she disappeared more than a year ago, was found yesterday in a park where she was known to jog.
Police said the skeletal remains, clothing and other personal items were found in a heavily wooded area of Rock Creek Park by a man looking for turtles as he walked his dog.
"The remains found earlier today are, in fact, Chandra Levy," Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Charles Ramsey told reporters. They were identified through dental records.
"The manner, cause of death is still pending," he added, noting he was unsure whether she died at the site where the body was found.
Thousands of people disappear in the United States every year but Ms Levy's case drew national attention because of her relationship with Mr Condit, a California Democrat who has not divulged publicly how close their relationship had been.
Mr Condit, who police have said is not a suspect in Ms Levy's disappearance, lost a Democratic primary earlier this year, in part because of the perception he had not told everything he knew and might have hindered the investigation.
Police, who were criticised last year for failing to pursue the case vigorously enough, searched more than 1,700 acres of the park after Ms Levy disappeared on May 1st, 2001.
Chief Ramsey said the body was found by a man who had been walking in a remote area. He found the skull in some underbrush. "The remains were exposed to the elements for some time so obviously there's some disruptions that take place," he said.
"There's a lot of work that is yet to be done. The medical examiner's determination as to the manner and cause of death is still pending," he said, adding that the police department's violent crimes division would take over the inquiry.
A family lawyer told reporters that the Levy family, based in Modesto, California, was not ready yet to give a formal statement and would comment later in the day. "The Levys first heard the announcement by way of the news," Mr George Arata said.
Ms Levy was last seen working out at her gym on April 30th, 2001, and police believe she spent much of the morning of May 1st surfing the Internet and shopping for an air ticket home to California. When police searched her apartment, they found her wallet, computer and luggage packed at the door. Only her keys were missing.
The discovery of the remains dominated US cable news coverage for the first time since the summer days of 2001, when TV camera crews followed Mr Condit's every step around Washington and speculation grew to fever pitch about Ms Levy's fate.
Interest in the case evaporated after the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington.
The US Attorney's office is still working on the case. The Levys had hired a criminal lawyer and a team of investigators to find their daughter. - (Reuters)