SAR - Mount Tamalpais - Female body recovery

Woman's body found on Mount Tamalpais

A Marin County Search and Rescue team of volunteers conducting a training exercise on Mount Tamalpais uncovered the body of a woman Sunday afternoon, law enforcement authorities said.

The discovery about half a mile northwest of West Blithedale Avenue's end comes five weeks after Veronica Ruiz, a 25-year-old federal tax agent, disappeared after she told friends she was going for a hike. Crews conducted an exhaustive search for Ruiz in the two days following her disappearance, then called it off. Friends and family continued to search long after the authorities suspended their official search Dec. 5. About two dozen searchers were participating Sunday in the mock exercise with nine dogs from the California Rescue Dogs Association who are trained to find cadavers when the clothed body was found at about 1:30 p.m. It was in a grove of redwood trees amid dense underbrush about 30 to 40 yards off Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Road near West Blithedale Ridge in Mt. Tam State Park, Marin County sheriff's spokesman Lt. Doug Pittman said.

Pittman said the Marin County Coroner's Office is investigating the identity of the woman and cause of death. He said it might take a few days. Ruiz's family and friends have been notified of the discovery, Mill Valley police detective Lindsay Haynes said.

Sunday night, the Web site set up by Ruiz's friends and family acknowledged the finding of the body. "A body has been discovered ... coroner is working to match dental records," an entry said on www.helpfindveronicaruiz.com.

Pittman said the body appeared to have been in the same place for some time. Several items were found nearby, but law enforcement declined to identify them. Pittman said the case is being termed a "suspicious death."

Ruiz, who lived in Mill Valley, was last seen Dec. 3 at about 11 a.m. in Mill Valley. About an hour later, she told a friend over the phone she was going for a hike. Ruiz conducted criminal investigations for the Internal Revenue Service and worked out of an office in San Rafael. She was due at work that day but didn't show up.

Ruiz hiked often and knew Mt. Tam well. Search and rescue teams had previously searched the area where the body was found Sunday but because of its steep and dark location and that it appeared "somewhat concealed," searchers had not found it.

Joining in the search exercise Sunday were two Marin Municipal Water District rangers and three Mill Valley police officers. More than 20 search-and-rescue team members were on foot and riding all-terrain vehicles. None of Ruiz's friends or family members were participating in the exercise, Pittman said.

"It's definitely very tragic if this is indeed Veronica," said Mill Valley Fire Department Capt. Mike St. John, unit leader of the Marin County SAR team. "A lot of work and hours have been spent trying to find her."

Family members and other searchers have looked on the mountain for evidence that might explain the disappearance Ruiz, who was apparently distraught over a breakup with her boyfriend and told family members she was going for a hike.

Federal agents searched her Mill Valley apartment and recovered the keys to her IRS vehicle but couldn't find her department-issue weapon.

Authorities searched West Blithedale Ridge on the east side of Mt. Tam after authorities tracked a signal from her cell phone. More than 50 law enforcement personnel searched initially and teams conducted 19 assignments but found no trace of Ruiz.

The family also brought in psychic Jeffrey Baker, a Colorado-based spiritual healer, two weeks after the disappearance to help find Ruiz. Search efforts were unsuccessful after Baker said the search area was too big.

Ruiz's sister, Daly City resident Maricris Ruiz, said on Dec. 9 that she and others would continue their search on Mt. Tam "indefinitely - until we find her."

A multi-agency volunteer group searched the area on Saturday, including personnel from the IRS, said Jose Martinez, assistant special agent in charge.

"As you can imagine, this has been a very difficult period of time for us with what has happened," Martinez said. "We're all hopeful to find out what happened to her."

The search and rescue volunteers who participated in Sunday's search were debriefed at the Mill Valley Town Hall. Several SUVs with all-terrain vehicles on attached trailers were parked outside. The training exercise started at about 11 a.m. Sunday.

When Ruiz was reported missing, she was wearing white tennis shoes, black Capri pants, a burgundy tank top, a black jacket possible made of fleece, a portable hydration system and a black iPod on her left wrist.

Source: SJMercury