Kate (Katherine) Elizabeth Gannon, 43, was a longtime member of the League City United Methodist Church. She went missing on March 30.
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The Texas City Police Department said Gannon may have been driving a 2005 light silver or grey Honda Civic when she went missing.
Since that day, church members have prayed for her safe return.
"She and her family have been here for 10 years. She's been here working for eight," Rev. Peter Cameron, pastor of the League City UMC, said. "Every church is half family, half organization, so we claim her as our own. It's a hard loss."
Gannon was a longtime childcare provider in the church's nursery, watching babies while their parents attended worship. She also loved cats and shared her Texas City apartment with two cats.
On Monday, just before 5 p.m., police were contacted by Texas EquuSearch advising that they had found a vehicle submerged underwater in the 1300 block of Century Boulevard. They said it was possibly connected to Gannon's disappearance.
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Galveston County Sheriff's Office Dive Team members helped recover the vehicle, and once it was removed from the water, a body was discovered inside.
Texas City PD says the person has been preliminarily identified as Gannon by distinguishing marks on her body provided by a family member.
Authorities said this is an ongoing investigation pending the results of the autopsy.
ABC13 reached out to Gannon's brother, who said he did not want to publicly comment until the autopsy is completed. Members of the church are holding a prayer vigil all day Thursday.
EquuSearch officials said that while looking for Gannon's vehicle in the water, they located five other vehicles, which are now being investigated. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office is working with Texas City PD to possibly recover the other vehicles at a later date.
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