Headline Surfer® graphic / DEBARY -- A decomposed body found in an open field in DeBary was identified as that of 48-year-old Debra Annette Smith, last seen alive eight days earlier in Nov. 8, when she left her home after getting into a minor verbal dispute with her partner, a Volusia County Sheriff's official said.
The woman's death comes in at No. 72 in the Headline Surfer® countdown of the top 100 stories of 2013.
"The body was discovered off of South Leisure World Drive near Barwick Road by a resident in the area who contacted the Sheriff's Office at 10:21 a.m.," agency spokesman Gary Davidson told Headline Surfer®. "The man who reported it said he saw someone lying under some bushes, but it wasn't discovered that the victim was dead until deputies arrived on scene.
As a result of an autopsy conducted by the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office, the victim has been positively identified as 48-year-old Debra Annette Smith of DeBary. She hadn't been seen since an argument with her partner, Davidson said, adding the Sheriff's Office's Major Case Unit is investigating.
"When she left the residence, Smith said that she was planning to walk to Sanford and stay with a friend there," the Sheriff's spokesman said. "However, she never arrived."
When sheriff's deputies first came upon the body, it was so badly decomposed, they couldn't tell if it was male or female, but the ME's office confirmed the gender during autopsy. How she died hasn't been determined.
Counting 'em down: Headline Surfer® Ranking of the Top 100 Stories of 2013
72. Decomposing body found in DeBary that of woman reported missing two weeks earlier
73. Apopka man arrested on kiddie porn charges
74. Daytona State ranked 35th nationally among community colleges in awarding 2-year degrees
75. Norman Church wins 2013 Lipton Cup Regatta in New Smyrna Beach
76. State Rep. Dwayne Taylor receives award at firefighter conference in Daytona Beach
77. Georgia man drowns in Ormond Beach surf July Fourth weekend
78. Apopka teen backing up SUV in family driveway hits toddler who wandered outside -- killing her
79. Hernando County judge elevated to Tavares-based 5th circuit judgeship
80. New Smyrna Beach cops: Cocaine dealer shot in ankle during robbery
81. Stetson University in DeLand ranked prominently by US News & World Report, two other publications
82. Kissimmee man sentenced to five years in prison for downloading kiddie porn
83. Gov. Scott takes part in Patriot Day celebration at high school in St. Johns County
84. Day-long problems with E911 calls at Daytona emergency operations center back in September
85. St. Augustine man gets 35 years in prison for scaring elderly woman & her dog with air pistol in robbery attempt
86. WROD-Radio's Tracy Dillon shines morning spotlight on food drive
87. Harvick wins Sprint Unlimited under lights at Daytona
88. Sheriff: Nearly 5 dozen guns turned in during one-day amnesty at DeLand fairgrounds
89. Daytona State College foreign-languages chair honored
90. Daytona Beach cops: Pedestrian struck & killed by motorist trying to cross ISB two days before Thanksgiving
91. Orange City man sentenced to prison for shooting own brother
92. Seminole County Sheriff's helicopter looks for nighttime prowler in Lake Mary
93. Ponce Inlet turns to 'CodeRed' for mass alerts
94. DeLand man, 60, sentenced to life in prison for sexually battering 11-year-old boy
95. Volusia County GOP leader Tony Ledbetter named to key Florida Republican post
96. New Smyrna cop shop has first father-son on force.jpg){kind=small}
97. Baltimore Ravens LB Ray Lewis waves green flag to start 2013 Daytona 500
98. Governor pays respects to 82-year-old Congressman in Orlando
99. New Smyrna Beach cops: Kind donation made for daughter of hit and run victim
100. VCSO: $9,000 worth of cigarettes stolen from DeBary convenience store in September