Orange County Sheriff’s officials believe a deceased person search and rescue teams located Monday, Dec. 26, along San Juan Creek is Shirley Jean Airth, a missing 94-year-old woman last seen in the area on Dec. 18, department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said Monday afternoon.

Investigators and the Orange County Coroner will work to positively identify the body in the coming days.

Orange County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams have located the body of a diseased person in the San Juan Capistrano area near where Shirley Jean Airth, a missing 94-year-old elderly woman, was last seen. (Photo by Laylan Connelly/SCNG)

“At this time, we do not believe there is anything suspicious about her death,” the OC Sheriff tweeted.

“On behalf of the OC Sheriff’s Department,” the tweet continued, “we’d like to offer our condolences to Jean’s family and thank the many teams who assisted in the search, the city and the public.”

At around 1:40 p.m. Monday, OC Sheriff’s officials wrote on social media that a deceased person was found in the San Juan Capistrano area near where Airth, who was reported missing by family on Sunday, Dec. 18, was last seen.

Just after 4 p.m., OC Sheriff’s officials tweeted, in part: “At this time, it is believed that the person we’ve located is Jean Airth.”

Yellow caution tape was put up where police were investigating near the corner of La Novia and San Juan Creek Road, just across the creek bed filled with a thick brush where volunteers set up a table with information about Airth for search efforts.

The search team had been meeting at Cook La Novia Park daily to map out areas volunteers could help look for the San Juan Capistrano resident, who left her home using a black cane near San Juan Creek Road and Avenida Larga.

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In a news conference last week, Airth’s son, Bryan Airth, said she may be experiencing symptoms of paranoia due to her dementia. He asked residents to check security footage and storage spaces, sheds or garages in case she was hiding.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department, family and community members have been searching the area daily, using drones, search and rescue teams and bloodhounds.

Investigators will see if they can determine how long Airth was down there, Braun said Monday, and why search teams didn’t locate her sooner.

In a statement Monday evening, Airth’s granddaughter, Morgan Trusiak, wrote: “My family and I cannot thank you all enough for the love, prayers and support over the last week. They have found my Grandma Jean. May she rest in peace knowing how much she was loved by her family and this incredible community.

“Hold your loved ones tight this holiday season.”

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