CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office has officially identified the body of a woman found last Saturday as missing person Tanya Garza.
Garza's sister Mercedes Solis has organized a GoFundMe page last week to help raise money that she says will help give her sister a proper burial and help the family get justice for her.
Her family and friends gathered to support each other Saturday. Solis said she first received the news when she woke up and didn't want to believe it.
The family is waiting for an official identification.
"They're not for sure," she said. "They can't confirm it fully until medical examiners confirm it, but they're 99 percent sure. It's a waiting game until Monday."
Corpus Christi Police Department officials said a body matching Garza's description was found in the 9600 block of Hearns Ferry Rd. in the Annaville area.
The body was found at about 8:20 a.m. Saturday, near where her white SUV was found burnt out on Wednesday.
CCPD stated in a blotter post Saturday that the body was found with the help of specialized K-9s in a gated area surround by heavy brush.
"We were there but we weren't close enough," she said. "If we would've of just been out there for maybe 15-20 minutes more, I'm pretty sure we've would've found her but everything fair happens for a reason."
Garza was pulled over for what police said was a routine traffic stop June 7, three days before her family reported her missing. She was with a male acquaintance, Matthew Davila, who fled in the vehicle during the stop.
Police located Davila several days later and arrested him for evading arrest. He was questioned, and detectives then took him to where her burnt car was found.
He currently is not in police custody.
Police have not yet said how they knew where to search for her car or whether Davila has played a role in that investigation, saying the information they can release about the investigation currently is limited.
They did say, though, that the investigation into Garza's death is open and continuing, and that the department currently is not pursuing a certain suspect.
Solis said the family is thankful to the community for helping their search efforts, but now the family is focused on making sure the person responsible for her sister's death is held accountable.
"I want justice," she said. "My main thing is justice. If anybody knows anything, please come forward. If it was your family, you would want justice."
This is a developing story. 3NEWS will provide updates as they become available.
News Producer Nadya Garcia contributed to this article.
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