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UPDATE: Dallas PD confirms the body found under a bridge on Dowdy Ferry Road in Dallas is missing mom Marisol Espinosa. Major Max Geron made the announcement on social media Tuesday evening.

The case is now a homicide investigation.

DEVELOPING…

[ORIGINAL STORY]

DALLAS — Alisia Lowder and her rescue group were out searching for abused or dumped dogs when they looked under a bridge on Dowdy Ferry Road near the Dallas-Hutchins line Sunday.

What they made was a gruesome discovery.

“It was a real human body,” said group member Jeremy Boss, who was back on the scene Monday trying to process what the group had found.

“You can see the spot where she was laying,” he said, pointing to where she was found. “It’s right over the edge of the bridge so somebody could’ve tossed her down or that body could’ve drifted.”

The obvious question, of course, is — Who is it?!

The family of Marisol Espinosa confirmed that the Dallas Police Department called to tell them the news and all signs point that it could be the 34-year-old mother who disappeared in December.

“That was the first thought we thought was that this was probably her,” Lowder said.

The search for Marisol started on December 29th when she never showed up at Toni & Guy, where she worked as a hairstylist.

Texas Equusearch came with a team of volunteers to help look, but there was no sign of the mother of three.

On day 68 of the search, it sadly looks like there might be a break in the case. With the body being found in an area that had been extensively searched, it’s fair to wonder why it took so long to find Espinosa. The short answer is because of the recent dry weather.

“Under that bridge, it is more times than not flooded,” Lowder said. “In fact, I think she led us to her because it was her time.”

Police say they have a person of interest, former boyfriend Faustino Valdez. He left Dallas shortly after Marisol disappeared and is reportedly in Mexico.

Meanwhile, the medical examiner is expected to make an identification soon.

As for her family, the wait continues, as does hope.

“I wanna give the family closure if it is her,” Boss said. “But closure means that the hope is dead.”