Remains located in Shenandoah National Park

Search efforts in the Shenandoah National Park were suspended Thursday afternoon with the discovery of female remains within the park property.

At approximately 2:00 p.m. a ground team of National Park Service and Virginia State Police personnel discovered a body in a remote location more than a mile from the Whiteoak Canyon parking area and about 330 yards from the trail in treacherous rocky terrain. National Park Service and Virginia State Police are currently still processing the scene.

There is no confirmation at this time that the finding is related to the disappearance of Nicole K. Mittendorff, 31, of Woodbridge, Va.

Mittendorff was last in contact with family April 13, 2016, to Saturday evening (April 16, 2016) when her 2009 Mini Cooper being located at the Shenandoah National Park in Madison County. Physical and digital evidence collected during the process of this case have been critical in focusing and conducting the search operations within the Shenandoah National Park. The evidence also still suggests nothing suspicious about her disappearance.

National Park Service and Virginia State Police personnel will conduct a press conference at Whiteoak parking area at 7:30 p.m.