Body recovered confirmed to be missing North Carolina woman: authorities

Diana Alejandra Keel, 38, was last seen by her husband on Friday, the sheriff's office said. (Nash County Sheriff’s Office)

Authorities announced Wednesday that a body discovered earlier this week was confirmed to be a missing North Carolina mother.

Following the completion of a forensic autopsy, the body was identified as Diana Alejandra Keel, 38, the Nash County Sheriff's Office said in a news release on Facebook. The department characterized the situation as a "murder investigation."

Keel, who was reported missing on Saturday, was last seen a day earlier by her husband, Rexford Lynn Keel, authorities said in an earlier news release. Her employer said she hadn’t come into work for a few days, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The most difficult aspect of this case is a ten year-old son and an eighteen year-old daughter are without their mother.” Sheriff Keith Stone said.

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On Tuesday, North Carolina Department of Transportation employees came across a female’s body while working near Leggett, roughly 30 minutes away from Nashville, the news release said.

Detectives working the case also followed up on a separate 2006 incident, which was deemed “a death investigation,” that pertained to the missing woman’s husband and his previous wife, Elizabeth Edward Keel, according to the sheriff’s office.

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“The 2006 incident was also reported to have occurred at the same address as the current missing person with regards to Diana Alejandra Keel,” the news release said. “Dr. Dourty of the medical examiner's office conducted the forensic autopsy. Dr. Dourty declared the death of Elizabeth Edward Keel as an accidental death based on the blunt trauma to the head from falling and striking her forehead on the corner of the Keel’s front concrete steps of their home.”