Body Found at Mission Trails Park May Be Of Missing Runner

SAN DIEGO - After hikers discovered a body in the water today in Mission Trails Regional Park, the site of a search to find a man who went

missing Friday, police said they have "reason to believe'' it was the missing man's remains.

Official confirmation of his identity would come later from the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office, according to Officer Darius Jamsetjee of the San Diego Police Department.

Max Lenail was last seen Friday at Mission Trails, where he went for a run, according to the officer.

Jamsetjee said police received a 911 call Saturday afternoon from hikers who said they found a body in the water near a waterfall at Mission Trails Regional Park.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and city lifeguards were called to the scene and removed the body from the water, the officer said.

Meanwhile, CBS8 posted a statement on Twitter from Max's father, Ben Lenail, that his son had died. Police could not confirm the statement.

From Ben Lenail's Facebook page, "With unspeakable grief, I have to report that our beloved Max is dead. He was the victim of a freak accident while hiking in the wilderness near San Diego yesterday. As immensely cruel as his death is, we are grateful to God for loaning him to us for 21 years."

Lenail was described as a white male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, 160 pounds. He was last seen Friday wearing bright orange running shorts and a gray

tank top.

Mission Trails Regional Park has 60 miles of trails and is located at 1 Father Junipero Serra Trail, near San Carlos, in East County.

Earlier on Saturday, officers from the San Diego County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Department joined the search for Lanail, along with community members.