Officials at the San Mateo County Coroner's Office confirmed today (Nov. 20) that the body found floating in the ocean off Miramontes Point in Half Moon Bay on Sunday morning, Nov. 18, was that of Frances Gallaher Pierce, 75, of Portola Valley.
An off-duty harbor patrol employee discovered the body at about 9:45 a.m. while fishing, Detective Rosemerry Blankswade of the county Sheriff's Office confirmed in an email.
Nine days earlier – on Friday, Nov. 9, between 9 and 10 p.m. – Pierce's car had been found parked about 4 miles to the south of Miramontes Point, at Martin's Beach, Blankswade said.
She had been reported missing at about 9 a.m. that morning, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Pierce had left a note saying she had gone to run "a short errand," Blankswade said.
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