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Marietta woman, 89, missing from assisted living found dead

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  November 11, 2024 4:14pm EST
Missing Persons
FOX 5 Atlanta

Missing Marietta woman, 89, found dead in pond

A tragic discovery in Marietta Monday after an extensive multiday search for a missing elderly woman. Police say a couple found the body of 89-year-old Patricia Miele floating in a pond Monday morning.

The Brief

    • Patricia Miele, an 89-year-old woman, was found dead in a pond near the Greenwood Assisted Living Facility where she was last seen.
    • Volunteers from the community discovered Miele's body during their search efforts.
    • The lack of security footage at the facility posed challenges for the police investigation, which included searches by officers, National Park rangers, and K9 units.
    • Miele, who was hearing impaired and new to the assisted living facility, had shown recent signs of confusion and had left without her glasses.
    • Authorities, including Georgia State Patrol's helicopter and divers, assisted in the search; the family expressed gratitude for the extensive community support.

MARIETTA, Ga. - An 89-year-old woman who disappeared from her assisted living facility on Friday night was found dead, according to authorities.

Patricia Miele was reportedly found in a pond in a cemetery in Kennesaw.

"Although it may bring some closure to the family, this is such a tragic end to this community effort to try to locate her," said Chuck McPhilamy, spokesperson for the Marietta Police Department.

A couple, who were part of the effort to look for Miele, were walking through the park when they found the body floating in the pond.

"They started a drive to the gym, and just decided they couldn't do that. They just said their hearts were heavy, they wanted to help," McPhilamy said.

The pond is just under a half a mile from the Greenwood Assisted Living Facility on Whitlock Road, where Miele was last seen at around 11 p.m. on Friday.

Patricia Miele (Credit: Marietta Police Department)

By 9:30 on Saturday morning, she was gone, and the facility called the Marietta Police Department. Police say there were no security cameras to capture which way she went.

"As a police officer, it made the investigation incredibly difficult not having any physical evidence that she even left the building," said McPhilamy. "We searched the facility five separate times. We searched the grounds roughly twelve times. We did a grid search that included officers from multiple neighboring agencies as well as National Park rangers. Multiple K-9s were deployed."

Staff members told police that Patricia, who is hearing impaired and new to their facility, had been exhibiting signs of recent confusion. She also left without her eyeglasses. She may have been disoriented.

Police say the Georgia State Patrol also brought in their helicopter to assist in the search and divers searched the pond Sunday afternoon.

Her family is thankful for the community's help in finding her.

"They were blown away, I think would be the appropriate phrase at the level of support that came from so many people wanting to help find their loved one," said McPhilamy. 

Police say, while there is no initial indication of foul play, they are investigating to determine exactly what happened.