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Missing woman’s car found still running days before her body was recovered

AP PhotoJohn Raoux - 2022-01-19T142410.148
the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office

Authorities in Virginia are reporting that they located a car of a woman who was reported missing and it was still running.

28-year-old Ahrea’l Smith was reported missing on January 12th after she failed to return home from work.

Investigators say surveillance video showed Smith closing up for the night at the Little Sue convenience store were she works around 9:00 p.m.

Smith was said to have started her vehicle and then continued closing up. At 9:18 p.m., another vehicle arrived at the store and Smith was said to have gotten into that vehicle. She then got out of the vehicle and went back in the store. That person, which authorities say is not a suspect, then drove off. Smith is then seen taking trash to a dumpster which is out of the sight of the camera, she has not been seen since.

The next morning, another employee arrived to the store to find Smith’s car still running.

Several days later, the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office arrested 50-year-old Tyrone Samuel for Smith’s disappearance.

On Tuesday, authorities announced that they found a body fitting the description of Smith within their search area.

Medical examiners are now working to identify her cause of death.