Police believe they found body of missing Hiawatha man

Hiawatha police believe they have found the body of a man who went missing more than three months ago, authorities said Monday.

Hector L. Perez, 41, of Hiawatha, had not been seen since Dec. 6, 2021. His abandoned car was found Dec. 12 in a residential area in Robins. Police said that home surveillance systems showed he had walked away from the car, and belongings of his were found near the edge of a privately owned pond.

Hiawatha police announced that a body believed to be his was retrieved Monday from the pond, and an autopsy would be performed at the State Medical Examiner’s Office to determine positive identification. Authorities did not disclose the location of the pond.

“Foul play is not suspected at this time,” a news release said.