Police searching for missing brewery owner Jesus Moreno found a body on the riverbank last week just hours after his family issued a public TV plea.
West Yorkshire Police said a search team found a man's body on Friday afternoon (April 14), on land in Harewood near the River Wharfe. Jesus Moreno, 41, was last seen at Harewood Bridge, on the border between West and North Yorkshire, last August.
He got the bus from from Leeds towards Harrogate at 6.10am that morning, which friends said was unusual as there was no reason to be there at that time. But after being spotted on CCTV at 8.14am that day, police had found no trace of him in the eight months since his disappearance.
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Police said it was totally out of character for Jesus to not be in touch with his friends and family for such a long time. On Thursday night, his family and friends made an emotional appeal on Dan Walker's Channel 5 show 'Vanished', which appeals for information about missing people, SWNS reports.
His ex-wife Maria told the programme he was 'charming, respectful and very kind' while his brother Claudio described him as a 'good person'. Maria said the family's life were clinging on to some hope they would find him after having their world 'transformed' by his disappearance.
She said: "Somehow, instinctively, you go on. You go to to work, you do your errands, you get a shower, you eat. You go on autopilot.
"Your whole life is transformed all of a sudden and the only thing you can grasp is the tiny bit of hope inside and that's actually the only thing that hopes at the end of the day.
"A bit of our heart is in that valley. We're lost. We need to find him, dead or alive."
But tragically, West Yorkshire Police found a body the next day, close to where he'd last been seen.
A spokesman for the force said:"The body was found by a police search team on Friday (14 April) afternoon on land close to the River Wharfe in the Harewood area.
"There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.
"The family of Mr Moreno have been informed of this development and enquiries are ongoing to confirm the identity of the deceased."
Piglove Brewing Co, which he co-founded, passed on their condolences to Jesus’s family, adding that it had been a “tough eight months” for the business.
They said: “It is with great sadness that the Piglove family announces that our beloved Jesus’ remains have been found near Harewood Bridge, the last place he was seen on the 1st of August 2022.
"Please be thoughtful to our staff and family during this challenging time. It has been a tough 8 months for the business but your support through this time has meant the world to us.
“Details will be shared in due course about paying your respects to our co-founder, Jesus. Who will be greatly missed.”
Other friends took to social media to pay their respects to the “one-of-a-kind” entrepreneur.
One wrote: “RIP Jesus. A wonderful and one of a kind human being.
"Will be very much missed. Sending to much love to his family and you all at Piglove Brewing Co.”
Another added: “Truly sorry for your loss, sending love to you all & Jesus' family.”
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