Missing person found in Shenandoah National Park

Monique Calello, Staunton News Leader
·2 min read
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A search is underway in Shenandoah National Park for Mateo Cobo Zevallos. Zevallos was reported missing to Fairfax County Police on May 9.
A search is underway in Shenandoah National Park for Mateo Cobo Zevallos. Zevallos was reported missing to Fairfax County Police on May 9.

LURAY — Based on a preliminary identification of remains found Sunday, the search for Mateo Cobo Zevallos conducted by Shenandoah National Park with support from Virginia Department of Emergency Management has been suspended, a press release said.

The body of a man believed to be Mateo Cobo Zevallos was discovered by searchers Sunday at 12:15 p.m. The body is being taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas for positive identification and determination of cause of death.

Zevallos was reported missing to the Fairfax County Police Department on May 6. He was last seen the day before leaving his home in Oakton en route to George Mason University, the release said.

Based on information received May 16, Shenandoah National Park Rangers began looking for Zevallos’ vehicle. They located the car in the northern area of Shenandoah National Park in a parking lot that serves the popular Overall Run Falls Trail.

The park established a search operation Wednesday morning, which continued through weekend. The remains were found in the park about 1.6 miles from where his car was parked in steep terrain near several rock outcrops, the release said.

Trails in the Overall Run area that were closed for search operations have been reopened.

Shenandoah National Park joins Virginia Department of Emergency Management in thanking the many organizations that were involved including Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Fairfax County Police, Virginia State Police, as well as numerous volunteer SAR organizations including Piedmont SAR, Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group, Old Rag Mountain Stewards, Virginia Rescue Dog Association, Christian Ministries SAR, SAR Tracking Institute, Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad, Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group, Blue and Grey Rescue Dogs, TrotSAR, K9 Alert, Frederick County Sheriff’s Department and Virginia State Parks.

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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Missing person found in Shenandoah National Park