Body of missing 89-year-old Marietta woman found in nearby pond, police say

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The 89-year-old woman who went missing from a Marietta assisted living and memory care facility has been found dead, police say.

They told Atlanta News First that she was found floating in a pond at nearby Kennesaw Memorial Park, a cemetery, about half a mile from where she’d been staying.

Police said Patricia Miele was last seen by an employee at the Greenwood Place Assisted Living and Memory Care facility around 11 p.m. Friday. The facility reported her missing around 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

“There are no cameras at the facility where she was staying. Therefore, we had no physical evidence that she had ever left the facility other than she was missing,” Sgt. Chuck McPhilamy with Marietta Police said.

McPhilamy said police searched the assisted living facility five times over the weekend and the surrounding neighborhoods, woods and bodies of water.

Law enforcement from across metro Atlanta came to help in the search, as did many community volunteers.

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“I want to pass on our sympathy to the family and loved ones of Mrs. Miele. In Mrs. Miele, we saw our own mothers and grandmothers and we wanted nothing more than to find her safely and return her to you,” David Beam, Marietta police chief said. “While that wasn’t the outcome, know that our efforts were genuine, thorough, and led by a servant’s heart. You will be in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

Beam went on to thank those who helped search for Miele.

“To the officers and staff of the Marietta Police Department, Marietta Fire Department and the numerous other public safety agencies who assisted with the search, the hundreds of hours you put forward over the last three days speak to your level of professionalism. I consider all of you heroes,” Beam said.

Miele was hearing impaired and did not have her eyeglasses with her, police previously said, adding that she had “been exhibiting signs of recent confusion, was new to the facility, and (could have been) disoriented.”

Marietta police said it’s likely Miele wandered away from the facility, but their investigation now continues to determine how this happened and if there is any foul play involved.

The medical examiner’s office will now perform an autopsy to determine Miele’s cause of death.

Return to Atlanta News First for updates on this developing story.