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Two Months After California Mom Vanished After Being Released From Hospital, Authorities Believe They’ve Found Her Remains
Heather Gumina's husband Anthony Gumina was arrested on an outstanding warrant for domestic violence shortly before authorities announced the grim discovery.
Authorities believe they’ve found the remains of a missing California mother of three nearly two months after she disappeared and her husband has been arrested.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office announced in a statement Saturday that the search for Heather Gumina, 33, had “transitioned into a homicide investigation” after authorities discovered what appears to be the missing mother’s remains while conducting a search in Pleasant Valley.
Gumina’s husband, Anthony Gumina. was arrested on an outstanding warrant for domestic violence on Friday, the same day the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant in the Pleasant Valley area of the county.
Anthony Gumina is now facing a homicide charge in connection to Heather's death, local station KXTV reports.
Heather Gumina, who also went by Heather Waters, was last seen alive July 16, shortly after she was released from the hospital for a broken collarbone, People reported last month.
Authorities discovered her vehicle, a 2005 black Infiniti G35, about a month after she disappeared, but found no sign of the missing mom.
Heather Gumina had three children, ages 4, 10 and 14.
Her family is now left grieving her loss.
“My daughter was one of the most giving, loyal people I’ve ever known,” her mother Joanna Russel told KTXL. “I’m going to grieve for a very long time. It’s like the world’s worst nightmare.”
Russel said she hopes to become a voice for victims of domestic violence in light of her daughter’s death.
“It’s going to be very hard to be without her, but I know that she’s in heaven now,” Russel said.
Anthony Gumina’s cousin, Robert Shawaluk, told the station he is “100 percent positive” his cousin did not kill his wife and said Anthony Gumina had cooperated with authorities after she disappeared.
"He did nothing wrong. He loved her. He loved his wife," Shawaluk said.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has declined to release any additional information about the alleged homicide, citing a desire to protect the integrity of the investigation.
