PHILADELPHIA(KYW Newsradio) — The body found in a shallow grave by police on Thursday is that of a missing woman who disappeared a little more than a week ago.
Melody Rivera, 29, was reported missing on Nov. 1. Her family said they looked for her for six days before police found her body in a shallow grave in a part of Champions Park Playground in Fox Chase Thursday afternoon.
“My sister was beautiful. She was loving, she was giving, she was caring,” said Rivera’s sister Martha Leefred in an interview with our newsgathering partners at NBC10.
Police have identified Rivera’s ex-boyfriend, 29-year-old Geovanni Otero, as a person of interest. They say he was the last person seen with Rivera before she disappeared. He also has an arrest warrant for parole violation.
“He’s out at-large and my sister is gone… so we’re begging and we’re pleading with the community, if you know anything, just come forward,” Leefred said.
Anyone with information about Otero’s whereabouts is urged to contact Homicide Detectives at 215-686-3334 or the department’s tip line at 215-686-8477.