Body of Missing Personal Trainer Elena Katherine Moore Found in Woods Behind Lexington Lowe's After Surveillance Video Captured Erratic Doorbell Behavior and Last Sightings Near Planet Fitness and Publix Parking Lot

LEXINGTON, SC — Authorities announced Wednesday afternoon that a body matching the description of Elena Katherine Moore, a 39-year-old local personal trainer who vanished nearly a week ago, has been found.

During a press conference, Chief Terrence Green of the Lexington Police Department stated that investigators discovered the body at approximately 2:48 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The discovery was made after police received a citizen tip that led multi-agency teams to focus on a wooded area near the intersection of North Lake Road and Old Cherokee Road.

Chief Green noted that while a formal identification from the Lexington County Coroner’s Office is still pending, the recovered remains "fit the clothing description of our missing person."

Disappearance and Timeline

Moore, a fitness enthusiast and personal trainer at Wolf’s Fitness Center, was reported missing on Friday, June 12, 2026, after family and friends were unable to contact her.

Investigators established the following timeline leading up to her disappearance:

• Thursday, June 11, 6:40 p.m. — Moore signed in for a workout at the Planet Fitness located at 560 Whiteford Way.

• Thursday, June 11, Later Evening — She was witnessed walking away from the gym toward a heavily wooded area situated behind a neighboring Lowe's Home Improvement store. Her husband later located her vehicle parked in the Lowe's parking lot with no initial signs of foul play.

• Thursday, June 11, 9:17 p.m. — Newly obtained surveillance footage captured Moore walking through a Publix grocery store parking lot at 100 Old Cherokee Road, heading in the direction of the road while wearing her last known outfit—an olive-green zip-up hoodie and black athletic pants.

Troubling Video Surfaces

Prior to the discovery of the body, the Lexington Police Department released residential doorbell photographs taken roughly a week before Moore went missing in an effort to generate public leads.

The images stemmed from a widely circulated Ring doorbell video at a local apartment complex showing what neighbors described as erratic and disoriented behavior. In the footage, Moore is seen following a DoorDash driver, picking up a stranger's food delivery, and attempting to follow the resident inside their apartment. When confronted by the residents, who stated she did not seem "all there mentally," Moore reportedly told them, “I don't know what I'm doing,” before walking away.

Death Investigation Underway

Because Moore’s abrupt disappearance was described by Inspector Missy Silcox as "very out of character," local authorities have requested the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to spearhead a comprehensive death investigation.

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher confirmed that an autopsy will be scheduled to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Authorities have not yet stated whether foul play is suspected, emphasizing that the investigation remains active and ongoing.

Chief Green expressed his gratitude to the public, the media for distributing hundreds of leads, and the extensive network of responding agencies—including the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, South Carolina DNR, and Highway Patrol—for their rigorous efforts in the search.