Kathleen Harrison Trent, a 63-year-old mother and grandmother, was reported missing by her son back on January 29. She was last seen at her home on Forge Road in Riverhead.
The search for the missing woman turned into a murder investigation after police found a dead body while scouring the woods on Connecticut Avenue south of River Road, on Wednesday afternoon.
On Monday, officials identified the woman who was found dead as Kathleen Trent.
Officials said the death appears to be criminal in nature.
Kelly Turbush reacted to her godsister's disappearance.
"She didn't have a bad bone in her body. Anybody who knew her loved her, anybody. She came in contact would if they needed anything. If she could give, she would," Turbush said.
Trent's friends, including Tanya Burriss, say she worked as a security guard at the popular Riverhead Raceway, and that everyone in the community has been looking for her and praying for her and her family.
"Oh, God, I was just destroyed. I was like, oh lord, you know, let everything be fine, because that's what we all wish, that everything is fine," Burriss said.
"We got to remember her as she was. She was a good person, a good, kind person."
Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are asking anyone with information on this incident to call 631-852-6392, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Follow us on YouTube
* More local news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts