Authorities said identification and cause of death were still pending after the discovery near Old Cherokee Road.
LEXINGTON, SC — Authorities found unidentified remains Wednesday during the search for Elena Katherine Moore, a 39-year-old personal trainer who vanished after visiting a Lexington gym nearly a week earlier, police said.
The discovery shifted a missing person case into a death investigation, with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division asked to assist Lexington police. Officials said the remains were found in clothing matching what Moore wore when she was last seen, but the Lexington County Coroner’s Office had not yet confirmed the person’s identity or cause of death.
Moore was reported missing Friday, June 12, one day after she signed in at Planet Fitness at 560 Whiteford Way at about 6:40 p.m., according to police. Investigators said she was later seen walking away from the gym toward a wooded area behind a nearby Lowe’s Home Improvement store. Police later released surveillance images that showed her in a Publix parking lot at 9:17 p.m. June 11, heading toward Old Cherokee Road. Lexington Police Chief Terrence Green said crews searched after receiving a community tip that Moore had been seen in the area of North Lake Drive and Old Cherokee Road the same day she disappeared.
Officers and fire personnel began searching wooded areas along Old Cherokee Road at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Green said the remains were found at about 2:48 p.m. in the search area. Police said the clothing description matched Moore, who was last reported wearing an olive-green zip-up hoodie and black athletic pants. Investigators had not announced signs of foul play before the discovery. Green said the department asked state agents to handle the death investigation as officials waited for the coroner’s findings. Several agencies assisted, including the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Fire Services, Lexington County EMS, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the coroner’s office.
Moore worked as a personal trainer at Wolf’s Fitness Center in Lexington and was known to frequent the Planet Fitness where she signed in June 11, police said. Lexington Police Inspector Missy Silcox said Moore’s disappearance was “very out of character.” Police described Moore as 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 120 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Her husband, Brannon Slice, reported her missing and told investigators the situation did not fit her normal behavior. Authorities said he was cooperating and had not been named as a suspect or person of interest. Police also said Moore’s vehicle had not been found as part of the search.
The search drew public attention as police released updates and images showing Moore’s last known movements. Earlier searches focused on the woods and farmland near Lowe’s and Planet Fitness, including areas along Caughman Farm Lane. Police said a drone was used there, but no sign of Moore was found. Investigators later expanded the search after receiving the tip that placed Moore closer to Old Cherokee Road. Officials also reviewed doorbell camera images from days before she was reported missing, after residents said a woman who appeared to be Moore seemed confused near apartments and packages. Police did not say whether that footage was directly connected to her disappearance.
The case remained active Thursday as authorities awaited a formal identification. The coroner was expected to schedule an autopsy, which officials said would determine the cause and manner of death. SLED’s role means state agents will help process the death investigation while local detectives continue to review the missing person timeline. No charges had been announced. Police had not released a final account of how Moore traveled from the gym area to the place where the remains were found. Officials also had not said whether her phone had been recovered or whether data from it helped guide the search.
People who knew Moore described her as active and well-liked in the local fitness community. Friends said her sudden silence on social media stood out because she had often shared parts of her life online. Mendy Miller, who said she had known Moore since Moore was 18, told a local station she was devastated by the discovery and said the community was shaken. Another resident, Adriene Massey, said the wooded discovery was alarming in a town many people consider safe. Police credited tips and wide public attention with helping investigators narrow the search area after days of uncertainty.
As of Friday, authorities had not publicly confirmed that the remains were Moore’s. The next major step is the coroner’s identification and autopsy report, followed by any investigative findings from Lexington police and SLED.
Author note: Last updated June 19, 2026.