http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,110622,00.html
SARASOTA, Fla. ? The body of missing 11-year-old Florida girl Carlie Brucia (search) has been found, the local sheriff announced Friday morning, choking back tears.
"The body of a beautiful 11-year-old girl has been found," Sarasota County Sheriff Bill Balkwill (search) said, thanking the community for helping to find the body.
The sheriff said suspect Joseph P. Smith (search), 37, had been charged with the girl's abduction and murder.
Balkwill refused to say where Carlie was found, saying it is an active crime scene.
"Our prayers on behalf of everybody here in Sarasota County go out to the family," Balkwill said.
He said Smith, a mechanic, has been charged with her murder. He is believed to be the tattooed man in a mechanic's shirt who was seen in a car wash surveillance video leading Carlie away by the arm Sunday evening, authorities said.
"We now stand ready to complete our obligation, and assure you that he will pay the ultimate price for what he did to her," Capt. Jeff Bell said.
Family and friends had kept vigil outside Carlie's ranch-style house which was decorated with banners and posters reading, "We love you, Carlie."
Carlie was described by friends as a beautiful girl who loved actress Jennifer Lopez, going to the mall and hanging out. The youngster was known for greeting friends with warm hugs. She was heading home from a slumber party when she was abducted. She had a cat named Charlie.
Smith had been held without bail since Tuesday on an alleged probation violation stemming from a cocaine possession conviction.
A home where Smith recently lived was cordoned off with yellow police tape late Wednesday night and several paper bags, presumably holding evidence, were carried out by investigators. His station wagon was also seized.
Smith has been arrested at least 13 times in Florida since 1993, according to state records. He was arrested in 1997 in Manatee County on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges, but was acquitted a year later.
He served 17 months in state prison for heroin possession and prescription drug fraud and was released on New Year's Day 2003. He was arrested eight days later on a cocaine possession charge and was placed on probation for three years. He also was placed on probation for aggravated battery in 1993 and heroin charges in 1999.
A state Department of Corrections official said Thursday that a probation officer had asked a judge on Dec. 30 to declare Smith in violation of his probation because he had not paid all his fines and court costs.
Probation official Joe Papy said Circuit Judge Harry Rapkin declined to find Smith in violation, which could have returned him to jail.
An aide to Smith's public defender, Adam Tebrugge,
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