UPDATE: Police Believe Missing Sagaponack Woman Committed Suicide

UPDATE:

Southampton Town Police believe that the death of 40-year-old Lilia Aucapina, a Sagaponack resident who was recently found dead in the woods, may have committed suicide, Lieutenant Susan Ralph told 27east.

The Suffolk County Medical Examiners still have to confirm the exact cause of death, but initially police said they did not believe Aucapina’s death was criminal in nature.

The body was found in a heavily wooded area about 500 feet from her home on Toppings Path, which was originally not picked up by the K-9’s because the wind blew the scent away from the dog, according to the report.

“It was heavily foliaged, plus the ground cover was high so it is thickets that you would have to be able to get into,” Ralph told 27east..”With all those factors, she was missed.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

The body of the Sagaponack woman who was reported missing last month was found in the woods in Sagaponack on Saturday morning, according to Southampton Town Police.

Hunters called police after finding the body of a woman in a heavily wooded area in between Sprig Tree Path and Toppings Path at about 7:30 a.m., police said.

Southampton Town Police, detectives, and the Suffolk County Medical Examiner responded to the scene.

Although further testing by the Medical Examiners Office will be necessary, the woman found was identified as Lilia “Esperanza” Aucapina who was reported missing on Oct. 10, according to police.

Family members were notified and at this time the death is not believed to be criminal in nature but is still actively being investigated, police said.