The body of a missing woman has been found wrapped in a carpet and hidden in a drain just days after she went on a date with a mystery man.
Makayla Meave-Byers went missing on September 15 after entering a vehicle with a man described as being “tall male balding with a dark-colored beard” by the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office.
Police said the mom left her home voluntarily with the man at around 5:30pm, and was not seen again until her body was found on Wednesday, September 20 – five days later.
Her body was found by one of her cousins just miles from her home in Macomb, Oklahoma, according to Pottawatomie County Undersheriff Travis Dinwiddie.
The search was first launched when Byers failed to return home after 24 hours.
Law enforcement launched a wide ranging search including drones and K-9 search teams.
Her family members also joined in the desperate search to find the mother, who had two adopted children and was stepmother to four others.
But the search ended in tragedy when Byers was found in a four-foot culvert drain wrapped in “old pieces of carpet”, as described by Dinwaddie.
The medical examiners office confirmed the body to be Byers on Friday, September 22.
Oklahoma Search and Rescue, which was involved in the hunt for Byers, wrote on Facebook: “It is with a heavy heart that we must report the medical examiner has confirmed the remains found in the area are those of Makayla.”
Her cause of death is yet to be determined but the undersheriff said foul play is suspected in the case.
As well as being a mother, Byers worked as a kindergarten teacher’s aide at Macomb Public Schools.
Prior to the discovery of her body, her older sister Andria Meave spoke to KFOR and described Byers as “a great mother” and said her children were “all she cared about”.
Barbara Harper, who is believed to be the mother of Byers, posted on Facebook: “Her family loves her very much and just wants her home.”
Describing her daughter as her “soul sister”, Harper said: “Mama loves you baby girl”.
Her husband wrote on Facebook: “I’ve been driving around constantly trying to look for thinking of places she may be at please I beg somebody help find her.
“She means the world to me. She literally is the backbone of our family. I love her deeply. She’s a good woman a great mom, please just help somebody please.”
According to a separate Facebook post made by Harper, family and friends held a vigil outside of Lexington High School on Sunday evening, inviting the community to share memories and stories of Byers.
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