Police: 21-year-old found dead days after parents get strange text message

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A 21-year-old woman missing since Wednesday has been found dead and a trail of puzzling clues has led to the arrest of her co-worker, according to police in Jacksonville, Florida.

Savannah Gold never showed up for work at Bonefish Grill Wednesday and her parents knew something was wrong when they got a mysterious text message from her phone.

The text message had misspelled words and said she was running away with a great guy she just met.

“He showed it to me and I immediately knew that it wasn’t her," Sharon Gold said. "We text each other all day and every day … and this was not from my daughter. It was from someone else."

The Golds said they had a feeling their daughter was in danger.

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, a body believed to be Savannah’s was found Saturday afternoon.

Her co-worker and manager, 28-year-old Lee Rodarte, was arrested and has been charged with murder.

Police say there were discrepancies in his story – including traffic tickets from 2006 showing he lived on the road where the body was found.

Sheriff's officers say Rodarte also slashed one of Savannah's tires.

MORE: Parents of missing woman say strange circumstances surround her disappearance

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