Jesus Moreno: Tributes pour in after body found near River Wharfe confirmed to be missing brewery founder

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A body found near the River Wharfe in North Yorkshire has been confirmed to be that of Jesus Moreno, a brewery founder who went missing in August.

Tributes have poured in after a body found in the search for missing Leeds man Jesus Moreno was confirmed to be that of the brewery founder. Mr Moreno, owner of the Piglove Brewing Co, was last seen at Harewood Bridge on the North Yorkshire border on August 1, 2022.

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The 41-year-old reportedly got on the bus from Leeds towards Harrogate at 6.10am, which friends said was unusual as there was no reason for him to be there at that time. He was spotted on CCTV at 8.14am that day but after that, police found no trace of him.

Police said it was totally out of character for Mr Moreno to not be in touch with his friends and family for such a long time. On Tuesday (April 18), West Yorkshire police confirmed the body found to be that of the 41-year-old.

According to them, the body was found hidden under thick undergrowth in the Harewood area last Friday, about 250m outside the police’s initial search area within 500m radius from his last known sighting.

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A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “Police investigating the disappearance of Jesus Moreno in Leeds have found the body of a male. The body was found by a police search team on Friday (14 April) afternoon on land close to the River Wharfe in the Harewood area.

“There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances. The family of Mr Moreno have been informed of this development and enquiries are ongoing to confirm the identity of the deceased.”

A statement shared on Facebook by Piglove Brewing Co, the brewery he co-founded, read: “It is with great sadness that the Piglove family announces that our beloved Jesus’ remains have been found near Harewood Bridge, the last place he was seen on August 1, 2022.

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“Piglove by the River will remain open as usual but please be thoughtful to our staff and family during this challenging time. It has been a tough eight months for the business but your support through this time has meant the world to us. Details will be shared in due course about paying your respects to our co-founder, Jesus, who will be greatly missed.”

Police have found a body in the search for missing Leeds man Jesus Moreno who was last seen in the Harrogate areaPolice have found a body in the search for missing Leeds man Jesus Moreno who was last seen in the Harrogate area
Police have found a body in the search for missing Leeds man Jesus Moreno who was last seen in the Harrogate area

Many have since taken to social media to pay tribute to Moreno, who they described as “lovely bloke” and “wonderful” One said: “So sorry for your loss. Only ever met him twice but in those brief interactions it was obvious he was a lovely bloke. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”

Another wrote: “RIP Jesus. A wonderful and one of a kind human being. Will be very much missed. Sending so much love to his family and you all at Piglove Brewing Co x.” A comment said: “Rest in peace, lovely man. Met him a few times at Piglove by the river. Thoughts and prayers go out to family and friends.”

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