Tragedy as wife who vanished is found dead hanged in Texas woods just a month after returning from two-year world-trip

Leanne Bearden's body was found close to where she was staying with her in-laws

The 33-year-old was last seen alive on January 17 after saying she was going for a short walk



She and her husband Joshua Bearden had been staying with his parents after returning from their travels



A 33-year-old woman who went missing nearly a month ago after returning from a two-year trip around the world has been found hanged in Texas woodland.



Leanne Hecht Bearden was last seen January 17 when she told her in-laws in Garden Ridge near San Antonio that she was going for a walk.



Her body was found in woodland close to where Mrs Bearden and her husband Joshua had been staying after returning from their travels.



Loss: Leanne Hecht Bearden, pictured with husband Joshua, went missing after their round-the-world trip



Tragic: Leanne Hecht Bearden's body has been found nearly a month after she went missing in Texas

Search: Police and private investigators had been scouring the area near where Leanne was last seen

City Police Chief Donna O'Conner said just after 1pm Thursday, they received a call from a Garden Ridge homeowner saying that he had found a body in a wooded area near his residence, CNN reported. Sources said Mrs Bearden was found hanging in a tree. Police identified her by her backpack and ring. An autopsy is scheduled to take place on Friday, and investigators have not said if they suspect foul play.

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In a statement posted Thursday evening on a Facebook page devoted to finding Mrs Bearden, her devastated family confirmed she had been found.



‘Leanne was a lovely and remarkable young woman, and we will all miss her greatly,’ the post read.



Her family thanked the law enforcement officials and volunteers who helped search for Mrs Bearden, as well as the thousands of well-wishers who have been praying for her safe return.



Bond: Leanne and Josh pictured on their wedding day four years ago

Adventure: The couple pose on a Goa beach during their two-year round the world trip

In an earlier post on the Facebook page, her relatives had suggested that she may have left on her on accord because she was struggling to adjust to life in the U.S.

‘The pressure of transitioning from her two year trip back into what we consider "normal" life seems to have left her very anxious and stressed,’ the statement read. ‘As a result of this investigation there is evidence that Leanne may have voluntarily left the area.’

A neighbor who lived close to where Mrs Bearden's body was discovered, said the community was heartbroken to learn that she had died.



'We've all been praying for her and the family for three weeks. We all figured she wanted to run away,' Carol Edwards told Kens5.

'I sympathize with them ... what they've had to go through, not knowing. That's the worst part,' she said.



Heartbroken: Joshua Bearden made an emotional plea to try to find his wife. Her body was found Thursday

The local police, sheriff's deputies, the Texas Rangers, a group of friends and volunteers had spent the past month scouring Garden Ridge and its vicinity in search of Mrs Bearden, but to no avail.

The theory that the globetrotter took off voluntarily has been supported by evidence found on her computers by private investigator Charlie Parker.

Garden Ridge police had reached a similar conclusion, adding that they have found nothing to suggest that Mrs Bearden was the victim of a foul play.



Her husband said that while his wife was fit and athletic, she was small in stature. The family had initially feared that she had been bitten by a snake or got injured.

‘Her mental and physical status is uncertain. We fear for her greatly,’ her relatives said when she first disappeared ‘She is extremely vulnerable. She left with only a few assets and is traveling very light.’

Two weeks ago, Mr Bearden offered a message of hope for his missing wife.

Travels: The couple had just returned to the U.S. after their journey around the world

‘Baby, don’t be scared. We’re looking for you. And we’re never ever going to stop looking for you,’ Mr Bearden had said in a televised interview.

He was speaking out in hopes continued public interest in his wife’s disappearance would help his cause, after the official search was called off.

‘As far as any sort of search in the area, we’re on our own on that,’ he said on Fox & Friends. ‘If you see Leanne, let somebody know. Call the police. If you live in the area… could you do me a favor and check out your property and see if there is anything unusual out there?’

Mrs Bearden, a marketing graduate, left her in-laws house in Garden Ridge on January 17 wearing jeans and hiking boots and carrying about $60 in cash and some credit cards.



She also had a red backpack with her that reportedly contained several energy bars.



The couple had intended to stay briefly in Texas before flying to their home in Denver to begin searching for work.

According to CNN, the couple has been married for four years.



Grief: Leanne's family are devastated by their loss and thanked the many people involved in trying to find the 33-year-old

According to My San Antonio, Mrs Bearden was planning to return to the home within an hour in order to take a phone call about a job in Denver.



She was reported missing by her husband after she had been gone about four hours. At about that time, his parents returned home from an out-of-town trip.

'We could draw up scenarios that range from the sublime to the ridiculous,' Will Bearden told My San Antonio. 'I just stick with what we know. What we know is she was seen leaving our house Friday, and no one has seen her since.'

For support on suicide matters call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-8255 or go to www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.



Search: Facebook pages and leaflets were set up to try to find Leanne