NEWPORT, Ark. — Arkansas authorities found the body of a 25-year-old woman who disappeared Wednesday when she went for a jog and said she was murdered, according to reports.
Volunteers joined Jackson County deputies to search for Sydney Sutherland near Newport. Her body was discovered about 2:00 p.m. Friday near her home, Fox 16 Little Rock reported.
Deputies have taken a suspect into custody. He was expected to be charged with homicide in her death, the station reported.
“We do have a suspect in custody at this time,” Jackson County Sheriff David Lucas said during a news conference, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “However, I can’t release his name until he’s formally charged.”
He said the suspect was a farmer from Jonesboro.
The man and Sutherland knew each other, Fox 16 reported.
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The parents of Sydney Sutherland’s boyfriend confirmed in a Facebook post that the body found Friday belonged to Sutherland and that an arrest had been made, KAIT-TV reported.
Sutherland took her cellphone with her when she went for the jog.
Rumors about the incident made the investigation more difficult, according to Lucas.
“When the rumors start hitting, our phones start ringing, and that slows us down some,” Lucas said.
The body was sent to the state Crime Laboratory as part of the investigation.
Lucas was particularly impressed by the community’s reaction to the situation and thanked all of the agencies and volunteers involved.
“It’s amazing how much love is in the community when something tragic happens, and they just start coming out wanting to help,” Lucas said. “And that’s what Jackson County is. It’s just like when Jonesboro had the tornado. Everybody started coming out.”
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