UPDATE: Cops find body of Toms River woman who had left her car and vanished

TOMS RIVER — The search for 79-year old Martha Hesse came to a sad ending Saturday morning after investigators discovered her body in a wooded area in the Holiday City section.

Police said they don't believe foul play was involved. The cause of her death is unknown pending an autopsy.

Hesse left her home on Thursday afternoon in her car but her husband told police he didn't know where she was going.

Her car was found near a lake around 6 p.m. that evening and a search involving a State Police helicopter deploying infrared thermal technology, as well as 40 additional volunteers from various police, fire, and EMS agencies, were deployed to try and find her.

Hesse's body was found about 10:45 a.m. Saturday.

Police ask anyone who may have seen Hesse on Thursday or Friday to contact Detective Petrick at 732-349-1050 ext. 1235 or rpetrick@trpolice.org.

"We offer our most sincere condolences to the family and ask that the public give the family time to grieve their loss," Toms River police spokesman Ralph Stocco said in a prepared statement Saturday afternoon.

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