PLEASANTON, Calif. (KRON) — The family and friends of Philip Kreycik spoke publicly on Thursday morning after they and the community spent almost a month at Foothill High School searching for him.
The search for the missing East Bay father and avid runner came to a heartbreaking end on Tuesday.
A volunteer searcher found the body about a quarter of a mile from the trail that Philip Kreycik had charted on a fitness app for his run at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, said Capt. Lance Breed of East Bay Regional Park District police.
Drones, search dogs, overnight aerial flights, multiple law enforcement agencies, search and rescue crews and hundreds of volunteers have been dedicated to finding Kreycik for nearly a month.
He told family he was going for a run on July 10 and never returned home. His car and belongings were found in the parking lot.
It’s still unclear how he got to this part of the park but police are hopeful they will find the answers as they continue to investigate.
“We wanted to bring him home alive and safe, so to deliver this news today is hard for all of us,” said Sgt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department.
Kelly said the remains had on running clothes and Kreycik’s distinctive running shoes. He said there were no immediate signs of foul play.
The body was found under a tree on a ridge in a spot not readily visible from the sky or near the trail he was thought to be running on, Kelly said.
This has been a rollercoaster for the family.
An autopsy is still being conducted to see if there was any foul play involved as well as cause of death.
During Thursday’s news conference the family confirmed the remains were of Kreycik, and thanked the community for the outpouring of support.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.