A severed leg which washed ashore a Florida beach belongs to a
missing lesbian, U.S. police have confirmed today.
Kelly Moriarty, pictured, vanished late last year along with
her partner, 61 year-old Doris Carter.
The 38 year-old's abandoned car was found several days later,
although there was no evidence of foul play in the vehicle.
Now, in a shocking twist, police are searching for the remains of
her body after her severed leg was found by a tourist.
According to sources, the leg was bent at the knee and had been
cut cleanly at the thigh and the foot.
A DNA test using Moriarty's family members confirmed that the
missing limb belongs to her.
According to ABC Action News, both women had started the process
of filing domestic violence injunctions against the other.
Carter's daughter, who declined to be interviewed on camera by
reporters, said her mother had a long history of mental illness and
frequently vanished for long periods.
She also said that two strangers had been asking for the couple
shortly before 16 December.
Now, local police are hoping to trace her to piece-together
Moriarty's last moments.
"Two significant issues that we are addressing is: where are the
rest of the remains of Kelly Moriarty and where is Doris
Carter?
"She may have some answers or also be a victim of this," Larry
McKinnon, from Hillsborough Sheriff's Office, told Fox News.
As reported on the Daily Mail, Moriarty's family released a
statement saying: "The family was notified on Friday by Bradenton
detectives of Kellyʼs passing. We are deeply saddened by the loss
of our daughter/sister/aunt. As you can imagine, the full extent of
our loss has yet to be realized, we are in shock, and are grieving
Kellyʼs passing. We loved and miss her tremendously.
"It is our hope that the joint effort of the Bradenton police,
Manatee County Sheriff, St. Petersburg police, and the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement can quickly find whoever did this to
her and bring them to justice and bring some closure to the family.
We would ask everyone to please respect the privacy of the family
and allow us to mourn Kellyʼs loss privately."
