Rangers find woman’s remains after hikers discover foot nearby, Maryland officials say

Hikers discovered a pair of red Nike shoes and a human foot in a Maryland national park, which led rangers to find the rest of the woman’s remains nearby on Saturday, the FBI said.

Hikers found the foot in a remote part of the woods, away from established paths of Catoctin Mountain Park, FBI spokeswoman Joy Jiras told The Frederick News-Post. Rangers found the rest of the woman’s body, except for a missing hand and foot, fewer than 100 yards away, according to the news outlet.

The FBI said officials don’t know how long the body was in the park, but the agency is investigating.

“It’s sad. It’s disheartening,” Richard Ruggieri, a supervisory special agent in the FBI’s Baltimore office, told The Washington Post. “This person has a story to tell. First, we need to figure out who it is to tell the story.”

The woman had dark hair that was worn in long braids, the FBI said.

“She was wearing a black tracksuit, wrist guard, and red Nike shoes,” the FBI said in a news release. “She was also found with a Puma handbag and a set of keys containing an El Salvador keychain.”

Who to call

The FBI is asking that anyone who could help identify the woman or who has information about a person who disappeared in the past six months contact the tip line at 800-CALL-FBI.

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