SUNRISE, Fla. – Police on Wednesday said there is reason to believe a Sunrise woman who was reported missing three weeks ago is dead.
Police did not release further details about why they believe Jeneen Ann Catanzaro, 50, is dead, but confirmed the missing persons investigation has turned into a death investigation.
Authorities said Catanzaro was last seen Nov. 28 at her home in the 100 block of Riverwalk Circle near the Everglades. Police said it was unusual for Catanzaro to be out of contact with friends and family for so long.
A neighbor told Local 10's Janine Stanwood she has seen lots of police activity in the last few days around Catanzaro's home. One man said he saw unmarked police cars parked in the neighborhood for about a week.
Friends said Catanzaro has lived in Sunrise for more than 15 years and is an animal lover. They said they can't imagine she would leave on her own.
"She just loves animals. She's so friendly with everybody in the community -- just a sweet person. So just to hear something like this happened to her -- it's really been heartbreaking," Nerina Divietra said.
Stanwood also spoke to Catanzaro's husband Wednesday, who said he doesn't know what happened to his wife and is waiting to hear from detectives.
"At this point, the community hasn't been the same," Divietra said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Sunrise Police Department at 954-764-4357 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.