Body found in Hendry County identified as missing Fort Myers woman

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – A body found in a wooded area along the Lee-Hendry county line last week has been identified as Alberta Harris, Fort Myers police said.

“This was not a random act. The individual was targeted in this case,” Fort Myers Police Chief Dennis Eads said in a press conference Tuesday.

The body was abandoned for 10 days and left near Wheeler Road and 14th Place, according to authorities. It was there that a group of teenagers found Harris’ decomposed body on April 20. Harris, 50, was last seen on April 9.

Her family members showed up to the area, but were not given any information regarding the body’s identity at the time. Their suspicions that the body belonged to Harris have since been confirmed, according to FMPD.

Harris’ death is being investigated as a homicide by the state Department of Law Enforcement because of the location where her body was found, Fort Myers Police Chief Dennis Eads said. Authorities have identified several suspects.

“There are some people that are being looked at. There have been some names provided so I am very confident there will be a resolution to it,” Eads said. “And now the next step is getting closure to find out who’s responsible for doing this.”

Eads would not comment on a possible motive for Harris’ death. He said Cpt. Duke Perry was familiar with the woman and has been working closely with her family.

Family and friends became concerned after she didn’t show up for a family gathering in early April. Her 2005 silver GMC Yukon was found two days later with its windows broken in a flea market parking lot on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

One of Harris’ daughters, Ebony, said blood was found inside her vehicle and also alluded to her mother’s killer being someone close.

Students at Lehigh Elementary released pink balloons on Monday in honor of Harris, who was a bus driver for Lee County schools.



Harris also played in softball leagues across Southwest Florida for a decade. Her teammates recently raised money for her family and held a vigil for her on Saturday.

“I never in a million years thought I’d have a friend that was murdered… Never,” said Angie Becker, Harris’ friend. “At least we know now and we can start to mourn and move on.”

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