"It’s likely Elaine," he said. "We’re not confirming this at this time."

Shalonis said dental records will be used to positively determine the identification of the body, and depending on when the records are made available to officials, that conclusion could be reached within a day or two.

"In all likelihood it is Elaine," he said.

Shalonis said the body that was found was in "pretty good condition" and fully clothed. He said there was deterioration due in part to the length of time the body had been in the woods.

Shalonis said it is his determination that the death of the woman is the result of foul play. "We know the cause of death at this point, which we’re not releasing," he said.

Shalonis spoke of his neighbor as someone who enjoyed the outdoors.

"Elaine was an outdoors type of person," he said. "She hiked, she biked she jogged. She enjoyed the outdoors. She was a very healthy, active person."

Shalonis said it would not have been out of character for Elaine to be hiking in the woods, or doing some other type of outdoors activity. "What was totally out of character," he said, "was that Radcliffe (her dog) was still at home."

Shalonis described the area where he and Pierson lived as a mountainous valley.

"We live on the side of a mountain," he said. "There’s a mountain to the north; there’s a mountain to the south. We’re on the south mountain. We’re a half mile up in the mountain."

The body was discovered by Pierson’s friends, who vowed to continue searching for her even after police called off their search early last week. The discovery was made at 11:28 a.m. Saturday off an embankment in a wooded area just three miles from Pierson’s home.

Pierson, 48, was reported missing Dec. 27.

The last contact anyone had with her was a friend who spoke with Pierson on the phone. Pierson told the friend she heard a suspicious noise at her door. Police said Pierson told the friend she would call back after she investigated the noise, but there was no return call.

Her friends became concerned after Pierson failed to show up at appointments the next day and they reported her as missing to the police.

Pierson worked from home, near Harrisburg, for a financial firm but was a native of the Spring-Ford area. She grew up on a farm off Route 29 and was a graduate of Spring-Ford High School, class of 1976. She was a star athlete who attended Lock Haven University.

Pierson’s keys, vehicle, cell phone and purse were all found at her house and untouched. Police said her door was unlocked and a gas fireplace was on when they investigated her disappearance. They said they saw no signs of a struggle in the home.

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