Charred Body Thought to Be That of Businesswoman

The charred body of a woman found in a remote San Bernardino County desert area is believed to be that of a prominent La Canada Flintridge woman who mysteriously disappeared two weeks ago, authorities said Thursday.

Tessie Miralle, 49, a community volunteer and businesswoman, was last seen at noon on Sept. 12, when she stopped by her husband’s civil engineering office in Pasadena before leaving to visit a friend in Monrovia.

Miralle never reached her destination. Her maroon 1984 Jaguar XJ-6 was found Wednesday parked on a quiet residential street in Monrovia.

The body, which was burned beyond recognition and has not been positively identified, was discovered the morning after Miralle disappeared. But investigators said they made no connection between the missing woman and the body until the woman’s husband contacted the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department this week, Sgt. Larry Brown, a homicide detective with the agency, said.

Brown said Don Miralle had learned from a friend that a body matching the description of his wife had been found in the desert near Victorville.

Miralle delivered X-rays of his wife to investigators Tuesday.

“For two weeks we had no idea who the victim was,” Brown said. “We had sent out two nationwide Teletypes and had heard nothing. Now we feel rather strongly that the body is the missing person from La Canada Flintridge.”

Friends described Tessie Miralle as a busy, civic-minded woman who was well known in the community north of Glendale.

Chris Valente, La Canada Flintridge mayor pro tem and executive director of the community Youth House where Tessie Miralle often volunteered, said he was gravely concerned as soon as he learned the woman was missing.

He said she “always wore very expensive jewelry” and that “she trusted people.” He added, “When you put her in charge of something, she did it and she did it right. This time, something went wrong.”

The body, still smoldering, was discovered by a resident driving on a remote dirt road in the El Mirage area, a remote desert region west of Victorville. The motorist realized it was a human body after he kicked out the flames with dirt.

He said the body has the same characteristics as the missing woman. The body had no teeth and no tonsils. Miralle wore dentures and had had a tonsillectomy, Brown said. He said other physical evidence was found at the scene indicating the body is that of Tessie Miralle but declined to elaborate.

Coroner’s officials said it could take up to two weeks to positively identify the body.