An 18-year-old B.C. mom who went missing last week has been found murdered, police say.

Rachel Pernosky's family reported to police on March 16 that all communications from her had stopped. Police became suspicious when they discovered the young woman's purse and cellphone were still at her home in Mission, located 60 km east of Vancouver, and all her social media accounts were idle.

A massive search was soon launched.

A call to police Tuesday alerted them to a body discovered down a steep roadside embankment in Chilliwack, about 60 km east of Mission, which Sgt. Jennifer Pound confirmed Wednesday is that of Pernosky.

Due to the steep terrain of the area, a search-and-rescue crew had to retrieve her remains.

Friend Rashelle Gauthier said on Wednesday the last time Pernosky was seen would likely be outside her home early Saturday. A neighbour said a man in a white truck with brown lettering on the side was seen “smoking and drinking” with the young mother, Gauthier said.

“(The neighbour) just said that she saw them smoking outside and she looked back a little later, about half-an-hour later, and they were gone,” said Gauthier, who went to Mission Secondary with Pernosky.

An autopsy is expected to be performed by Thursday, Pound added. Police are unsure yet if the Chilliwack scene is where she was killed or if her body was brought there.

According to a Facebook group there will be a candlelight vigil at Fraser Valley Heritage Park on Thursday 7 p.m.