Missing West Virginia Woman's Body Found Inside Car At Walmart Parking

The body of a West Virginia woman, who went missing last week, was found inside her car, police said Monday.

In a press release, the Morgantown Police Department said the body of Alexa Randolph was found inside her vehicle that was parked at a Walmart parking lot on Hornbeck Road.

The woman was reported missing Thursday night after "attempts to contact Randolph were unsuccessful."

Police said the woman was last seen at her apartment Thursday morning. A search was launched and her car, a white 2018 Ford Escape, was discovered at the Walmart parking area the following day.

"Upon investigation a body was discovered in the cargo area of the vehicle and that the body was identified as Alexa Randolph," police said in a press release Monday.

The body was sent for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Monongalia County Sheriff's Office said detectives have opened a murder investigation.

"Detectives will assume the lead in this investigation to avoid jurisdiction issues with any possible leads, suspects and evidence that may be outside of the Morgantown City limits," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

"This case is being investigated as a homicide and the integrity of the investigation will dictate future releases of information," it added.

Investigators have requested anyone with information regarding her disappearance or death to either contact the Monongalia County Sheriff's Office at 304-291-7218 or the Morgantown Police Department at 304-284-7522 (extension 0).

In a similar incident, the body of a missing pregnant woman was found in Washington, a month after she was reported missing. Kassandra Cantrell was reported missing after she missed an appointment for her first sonogram. Her body was found in an unoccupied white Mazda sedan along a steep hillside. Her former boyfriend, 37-year-old Colin Patrick Dudley, was taken into custody on suspicion of murder after a surveillance video showed him dropping off her white Mazda car. He was booked into the Pierce County Jail.