Med student disappears while walking dog, PA cops say. Body found near park days later
A search for a University of Pittsburgh medical student ended Friday with the discovery of his body near the same park he was last seen, Pennsylvania cops said.
Luis Espinoza, 30, was last seen on Monday, Jan. 20, according to Pittsburgh Police. Espinoza was spotted in surveillance footage walking his Dobermann around 10:30 a.m. that day, according to WTAE. About 45 minutes later, the same dog could be seen on camera, running free.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office told People that Espinoza’s body was found dead Friday morning within a 10-minute walk of South Side Park, the last place Espinoza was seen.
According to WPXI, the examiner’s office reported his time of death as 8:31 a.m., but did not include the/his cause or manner of death.
His cause of death will be released by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, police said.
In an interview with WTAE, Espinoza’s sister, Jacquline, said police who checked on Espinoza found his front door open and his car keys still inside his home.
The dog was found earlier this week on a nearby street. When Espinoza’s family brought the dog back to the park on Thursday, Jacquline told WTAE he began crying and pulling them in a specific direction, but searching the area turned up nothing.
“With a heavy heart, we have found our brother, Luis Espinoza,” his family said in a statement on Facebook. “We are grieving, and have truly felt the support of many truly amazing people. We thank you for your support. At this time, we will be with family. My heart is breaking.”
