Elena Katherine Moore has been confirmed dead after the personal trainer from South Carolina went missing last Thursday. Authorities in Lexington announced the news on Friday, confirming that a body discovered in the woods on Wednesday was indeed Moore. As detailed by TMZ, the 39-year-old was last seen departing a Planet Fitness location just after 9 PM.
Surveillance footage captured her movements inside the gym that evening, and she was seen wandering into a nearby wooded area shortly after. At the time of her disappearance, she was dressed in an olive-green zip-up hoodie paired with black athletic pants. Police used both drone technology and foot patrols to scour the area while attempting to track the phone she had with her that night.
Lexington police noted that the clothing found on the body matched the outfit Moore was wearing when she vanished. While officials initially stated they did not suspect foul play, they also described her behavior that night as out of character for her. Her husband reported her missing on Friday, and investigators worked to piece together her final movements.
Friends describe Moore showing signs of distress in the weeks before she disappeared
Some of the information surrounding the days leading up to her disappearance suggests she may have been struggling with personal concerns. Sondra Campbell, a longtime friend of Moore, shared details about a brunch outing on May 31 where she noticed concerning behavior. Campbell described Moore as acting paranoid during that meeting, frequently standing up to check the window and the surrounding area as if she were watching for someone.
Campbell said Moore had told her she feared for her life during that time. She also emphasized that Moore was not the type of person to simply walk away from her life without a significant reason, a sentiment echoed by others in the community who knew her. The search drew attention from local residents in the days she was missing, in a period that also saw a missing woman rescued from a remote trail in Minnesota after a multi-day search of her own.
Authorities have not disclosed whether they are pursuing any leads tied to the behavior Campbell described, and police have not named a suspect. Amid a string of recent cases involving prosecutors building a case against parents elsewhere, Lexington investigators have given no timeline for further updates beyond the autopsy.
An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday to help determine the circumstances surrounding her death. Authorities anticipate that they will be able to release the official cause and manner of death by Monday.
Published: Jun 19, 2026 08:30 pm