The San Diego Medical examiner has confirmed that a body found late Friday night is that of a missing 34-year-old Carlsbad woman.
On its website, the ME's office confirmed that the body of Kathy Scharbarth was found by police in a remote location in San Diego County. Scharbarth had gone missing from her North County home earlier in the week.
No cause of death had been given, though officials said the case was being investigated as a homicide.
On Friday morning, Carlsbad police arrested Scharbarth's ex-boyfriend Michael David Robles, 43, for kidnapping and homicide charges related to Scharbarth's case. He was later booked into the Vista Detention Facility with no bail.
Police said Scharbarth went missing amid "suspicious circumstances" in the North County between 11 p.m. Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
Scharbarth's disappearance was first noted when her current boyfriend, Daniel Weber, went to pick her up for breakfast at her home in the 3100 block of Via Puerta in southeast Carlsbad, on Thursday.
When Weber arrived at the apartment, Scharbarth was gone and he found her 13-year-old daughter asleep inside the home with the door left open.
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Police said Weber was the last person to see Scharbarth Wednesday night around 11:30 p.m. when she walked him to his car.
At some point earlier in the evening, a neighbor said a man was lurking outside Scharbarth's apartment.
Police reported that Scharbarth's estranged boyfriend Robles had violated a restraining order against him Wednesday night after trying to make contact with Kathy at her home in Carlsbad.
Court records show Scharbarth filed a domestic violence case and had obtained a temporary restraining order against Robles just last week.
It was reported that a search for Scharbarth had been launched in Vista later that day after Robles gave a tip that articles of Scharbarth's clothing were strewn in the area. However, the search ended hours later when authorities gave up concluding that the tip was bogus.
Even though no clues had been found, Scharbarth's family remained hopeful.
On Friday, her family, friends and complete strangers gathered to pass out flyers and light candles in what they said was a symbol of hope that she would be found.
"My heart is broken," said family member, Melissa Scharbarth. "I'm in a lot of pain... I'm in utter amazement that this is happening to my family."
Scharbarth's best friend said she was a graduate of San Dieguito High School and owned her own furniture company.
At a press conference on Saturday CPD Chief Gary Morrison said the parents of Scharbarth requested privacy and that the investigation was ongoing so no further information could be provided.
A Facebook page was set up for those wishing to print out flyers.
