Full Breakdown
Elena Moore Disappearance, Discovery, and Ongoing Investigation
6/25/2026, 2:27:22 AM
Disappearance and Discovery
Personal trainer Elena Moore, 39, vanished after leaving a Planet Fitness in Lexington, South Carolina, on June 11. Surveillance captured her crossing a Publix parking lot at 9:17 p.m. She was reported missing the following day. A multi-agency search led officers to a concrete bridge near the Fourteen Mile Creek Trail, where a body matching Moore’s description was found on a Wednesday. The Lexington County Coroner’s Office positively identified the remains that same week.
Timeline of Key Events
- June 11, 6:40 p.m. – Moore signs in at Planet Fitness.
- June 11, 9:17 p.m. – Video shows Moore walking across Publix parking lot, dressed in an olive-green hoodie and black athletic pants, heading toward a wooded area behind a Lowe’s.
- June 12 – Moore is reported missing.
- Wednesday (? June 18) – Body discovered under a bridge near the Fourteen Mile Creek Trail.
- Saturday (? June 22) – Autopsy performed; no immediate cause of death identified.
- Monday (? June 24) – Coroner’s office releases preliminary findings and announces pending histology, medical-record review, and toxicology.
Investigation Findings (Official Statements & Responses)
Lexington police confirmed the body’s identification and noted the absence of external injuries such as bruising, gunshot, stab, blunt-force, strangulation, or lacerations. The coroner’s office reported that the autopsy did not reveal an immediate cause of death and that further laboratory analyses are required. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is assisting the investigation. Investigators on the Tuesday before the discovery stated they did not suspect foul play and that Moore’s husband, Brannon Slice, was not a person of interest at that time.
On-the-Ground Observations
Local resident Joe Tonsing, who lives near the discovery site, described the scene: “They found her under the bridge, and I thought, well, now, has she been sleeping there? She was sleeping somewhere, and she was eating somewhere.” A Ring-camera clip obtained by The U.S. Sun showed Moore pretending to be a DoorDash driver a week before she vanished, and a neighbor reported her appearing “confused” while trying to enter her apartment.
Friends’ Concerns and Criticism
Close friend Sondra Rachelle Campbell told NewsNation and Fox News that she believes foul play is involved, citing marital issues and Moore’s fear for her life. “I think my friend was struggling for her life. I think she was literally afraid for her life,” Campbell said. Another friend, Lauren Beasley, noted Moore’s sudden silence on social media as “out of character.” Sarah Burleson, who interacted with Moore during the DoorDash incident, said, “Something seemed very off and I really hope she turns up safe and sound,” adding that the week’s events felt “like a crazy DoorDash experience.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Authorities have not found evidence of trauma, yet friends assert that foul play is likely, creating a direct conflict between official statements and personal testimonies. The cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending toxicology and histological results, leaving a critical information gap about how Moore died.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They found her under the bridge, and I thought, well, now, has she been sleeping there? She was sleeping somewhere, and she was eating somewhere,” — Joe Tonsing, Lexington resident
- “Additional evaluation is required, including histological studies, review of medical records, and toxicology testing,” — Lexington County Coroner’s Office
- “I think my friend was struggling for her life. I think she was literally afraid for her life.” — Sondra Rachelle Campbell, close friend
- “She is very active on social media so her going radio [silence] for the last month is out of character,” — Lauren Beasley, friend
- “Something seemed very off and I really hope she turns up safe and sound,” — Sarah Burleson, neighbor
What’s Next
The coroner’s office will release the final autopsy report after completing toxicology and histology. SLED and Lexington police continue to investigate, with particular attention to the unresolved questions raised by friends and the lack of external injuries.
