Niamh Shackleton
A man who has been found dead was reportedly going on a blind date at the time of his disappearance almost a month ago.
45-year-old Marcus Freiberger went missing on February 21 and is believed to have been heading on a blind date on the day in question.
He was last seen a parking garage near Second Avenue and Van Buren Street and was driving a white 2021 GMC Sierra pickup.
Police were then notified of his disappearance on March 14, and a few days later a body was found a rock quarry in Phoenix, Arizona.
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The body went on to be confirmed to be Marcus'.
The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner identified his body on Monday (March 21).
His family have since issued a heartbreaking statement to social media in the wake of his untimely passing.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share the tragic news that Marcus is no longer with us," his sister, Tina Hall, wrote on Facebook. "We thank all of you for the love and support you have given Marcus and our family."
As of March 25, Marcus' cause of death was yet to be revealed and an investigation is currently underway.
"Currently, Freiberger’s case is being handled as a death investigation and is pending results from the Office of the Medical Examiner," Phoenix Police Department said in a statement, as per Fox10.
In regards to his disappearance, police said that there were 'no additional leads or evidence were discovered to determine if Freiberger left town or fell victim to any particular crime'.
As questions remain about Marcus' death, his family are calling for answers.
His dad, Rodger Freiberger, said to AZ Central: "We just want to know what happened. Marcus was a great kid. He was truly loved by a lot of people. The amount of shares on Facebook on his missing person's report. If you go and read the comments, it's amazing how many people knew Marcus.
"I don't know if he had any issues going on, not sure what led to the disappearance. It's very strange. Hopefully they'll investigate and come up with something."
Police are appealing to the public for their help and want information on Marcus' disappearance and death.
Witnesses are encouraged to call CrimeStop at 602-262-6151 or Silent Witness if they wish to remain anonymous at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish, says AZ Central.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].