JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville family is mourning the loss of a 27-year-old woman whose body was found last week in a Sandalwood retention pond.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said it was the body of Teresa Gorczyca that was discovered Wednesday. Her family reported her missing three days before.
For the first time, Gorczyca’s sister on Monday night stopped by the site where her young sister’s body was found in the Sutton Lakes neighborhood. She told News4Jax that right before her little sister’s body was found, she was in the same neighborhood, putting up missing persons posters. Now, Gorczyca’s loved ones want to know how and why she ended up in the pond.
News4Jax obtained the missing persons report for Gorczyca. The document reveals that she was last seen by her father and brother leaving their family home on Sept. 26. Her parents said she left her phone and did not take any of their cars. It’s unclear where she went from there.
Close friend Zachery Morgan grew up with Gorczyca, who was described as a loving sister and daughter, poet, and lover of art and music who was known for her positive attitude and compassion.
“She was a very warm-hearted person, very bubbly, very friendly,” Morgan said.
According to the report by JSO, Morgan was one of the last reported people who talked to Gorczyca. He told News4Jax that the two had plans to hang out the evening of Sept. 26, but she never showed up. About 10:30 that night, her family reported her missing.
“I was shocked because the night before, like I was saying 6:30 Sunday night, I was messaging her and talking about hanging out,” Morgan said.
Over the next several days, investigators searched the area, dive teams looked in ponds and investigators combed local businesses.
On Wednesday night, her body was pulled from the retention pond less than 4 miles away from her home.
“Police did a good job in that they canvassed the area and also because of the body of water being in such close proximity to where she lived, they searched that lake and found her,” said News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson.
The Sheriff’s Office has not said whether they think foul play is involved. JSO said it is still waiting on an official cause of death from the medical examiner’s office.
“That will shed more light on this whole scenario once the manner and the cause of death is figured out,” Jefferson said.
Gorczyca’s family shared with News4Jax funeral arrangements. They’re asking anyone who was a friend of Gorczyca to join them.
The memorial service will be on Friday. Funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m. at St. Paul’s Catholic Church at 523 Pablo Ave. in Jacksonville Beach following a rosary service at 12:30 p.m. at the church.
Interment will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Hardage-Giddens Chapel Hills Cemetery at 850 St. Johns Bluff Road North in Jacksonville. A catered reception to follow at Holly Oaks Event Hall at 11210 McCormick Road in Jacksonville.
The family encourages loved ones to share memories on Gorczyca’s obituary.