Overview

• A pair of hikers discovered a severely burned body on Oct. 1 in a remote, pine-covered area of Montaña de La Creu, less than 500 meters from Beatriz Guijarro’s last known location.
• Guardia Civil cordoned the site and completed a nighttime recovery, transferring the remains to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Valencia for autopsy, DNA and dental comparison.
• Investigators consider it likely the remains are Guijarro’s based on the location and items found near the body, including what may be a burned backpack, but identification is not yet confirmed.
• Reports indicate the corpse was burned in a Sept. 4 blaze that swept the hillside; a neighbor was detained in that arson case and its connection to the disappearance has not been established.
• Authorities have not ruled out homicide or an accidental fall, with the latter described as gaining traction pending autopsy findings, and homicide specialists are set to join the inquiry.