Father says body he found in Collier County is his missing daughter

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.- A father says he found the body at the center of an East Naples death investigation and believes it’s his missing daughter’s body.

Troy King’s daughter disappeared four days ago. Information released from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office shows 21-year-old Heather King was last seen at the Days Inn and Suites off Tollhouse Drive where she left on foot.

Four days after Heather disappeared, her father went out in search of her. He says it was only a short time before he stumbled across a body in a wooded area off Bush Boulevard near I-75.

“It took me 15 minutes to find my daughter, a helicopter, a simple walk in the woods, she wasn’t deep in the woods,” said King. “I could see a hotel when I found her body.”

King says he lead deputies to the body in woods. It was a short distance from the hotel where she was last seen.

While King swears it is his daughter, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office says the body is badly decomposed and at this point no one can identify it.

As the family waits for confirmation, they believe it’s Heather. That has left family and friends grieving her loss.

“They are still in shock due to the circumstances,” said Kristina Clark. “They were hoping they would find her in a better condition. Heather’s best friend wants everyone to know she will be missed. She was a beautiful young lady.”

The body has been taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office pending identification.