Philip Kreycik Update: Missing Jogger's Body Likely Found 250 Feet From Game Trail

KEY POINTS

Philip Kreycik went missing while jogging in Pleasanton park nearly a month ago
On Tuesday, a volunteer found the body off a game trail in the northern part of the park
Police are yet to confirm the identification

A body, believed to be of missing jogger Philip Kreycik, was found in a park in California on Tuesday. Authorities said the remains were spotted 250 feet from a game trail.

Kreycik, of East Bay, disappeared on July 10 when he went jogging in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park. His car was found in the park, with his wallet, cell phone and a T-shirt inside. His family filed a missing complaint after he failed to return home that day.

Pleasanton police, along with Alameda County sheriff's deputies, searched for the 37-year-old for days. Several volunteers, drones, a heat-seeking plane and trained search dogs were also part of the operation.

On Tuesday afternoon, a volunteer found the body off a game trail in the northern part of the park. While it matched the description of Kreycik, police are yet to identify the body. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

"We'll do a positive identification, but everything leads us to believe that it's likely that we did find Philip up there on the ridge," Alameda County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ray Kelly said, according to NBC Bay Area. "Obviously, his family is forefront in our thoughts and prayers right now."

On July 10, 2021, Philip Kreycik went for a run at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Bay Area, Calif. His car was still parked at the trailhead, cell phone and wallet inside, but he never returned. Do you have any info that could help locate him? #Dateline https://t.co/RDkuYVkLhq pic.twitter.com/d0ZbXuLN48
— Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) August 3, 2021

The area where they found the body was "very remote" and a good distance from where investigators believed Kreycik "should have made a turn to go back to the trail," Capt. Lance Brede, with the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department, said.

"It's not a designated trail," he said, according to SFIST. "It's a game trail. He was located about 250 yards off of that trail near a tree."

It appears the area is not used by the public and is not designated for recreation, Brede added.

"It would not be something that someone would come across," he said.

Pleasanton Police expressed their condolence for the Kreycik's family.

"At this preliminary stage of the investigation, the individual's cause of death is unknown, and the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau will work to identify the deceased. Our thoughts are with the Kreycik family and we are focused on supporting them during this difficult time," they said in a statement.