Remains 'Preliminarily Identified' as Missing Firefighter, Police Say

PHOTOS: Nicole Mittendorff, 31, whose remains have been preliminarily identified Thursday; she went missing last week; photo courtesy of "Find Nicole" Facebook page; other photos from the scene Thursday night at Shenandoah National park courtesy of Virginia State Police

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UPDATE 10:45 p.m. Authorities have preliminarily identified a body found Thursday in Shenandoah National Park as missing Fairfax County firefighter Nicole Mittendorff, 31, a Virginia State Police spokeswoman said in an email late Thursday night.

Authorities have preliminarily identified the body as Mittendorff, 31, of Woodbridge, Va., who went missing last week, Virginia State Police said.

Mittendorff's body was located around 2 p.m. Thursday by a search team composed of National Park Service and Virginia State Police personnel, according to Virginia State Police.

The remains are being transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas for autopsy, examination and positive ID.

"The physical and digital evidence collected during the course of this investigation – to include a note recovered from her car – leads us to believe there was no foul play involved in her death," the state police spokeswoman said in Thursday night's email.

Search efforts for Mittendorff in the Shenandoah National Park were suspended Thursday afternoon with the discovery of the remains within the park property, according to Virginia State Police.

Police earlier had not confirmed if the remains were the missing Fairfax County Fire and Rescue firefighter/paramedic, but did say that the search was called off. Mittendorff was reported missing last week when she didn't show up to work. She's been a firefighter in Fairfax County the past three years.

Mittendorff's family posted this message earlier on their "Find Nicole" Facebook page: "Our hearts are broken. We thank you for your support and ask that you keep our family in your prayers in the challenging days ahead."

Police said earlier Thursday that at approximately 2 p.m., a ground team of National Park Service and Virginia State Police personnel discovered a body in a remote location more than a mile from the Whiteoak Canyon parking area and about 330 yards from the trail in treacherous rocky terrain, police said.