PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — Police identified the second body discovered in St. Lucie County waterways in a tragic update on Monday.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) said the body of 41-year-old Victor Anthony Valdez, a Port St. Lucie resident, was recovered from the St. Lucie River near the Twin Bridges on SE Port St. Lucie Boulevard on the early morning of November 7.
Initial reports from PSLPD said two men fishing from the boardwalk beneath the Twin Bridges spotted Valdez’s body floating in the water around 8:11 a.m. They remained at the scene until officers arrived. The PSLPD Marine Unit responded and retrieved the body.
Valdez was reported missing by his family on November 4 after leaving his home in a 2012 Audi A5 convertible, according to the update. Detectives later found the vehicle parked at Bridge Plaza, which connects to the boardwalk where his body was discovered. A goodbye note and burial instructions were left behind, leading investigators to believe the death was a suicide.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 — free, confidential support is available 24/7.
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This incident marks the second body found in St. Lucie County waterways in less than a week. The first was recovered near the Taylor Creek Spillway, prompting concern and speculation among residents. While the two cases are not currently believed to be connected, both remain under investigation.
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