Last night (July 13), officials from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office confirmed at a press conference that the body recovered from Lake Piru was that of actress Naya Rivera.
The former Glee star - who played cheerleader Santana Lopez in the hit musical TV show - had reportedly rented a pontoon boat with her four-year-old son on Wednesday afternoon (July 8) and ventured out onto the lake, located in Ventura County, California.
Speaking at the conference last night, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub has said:
"Today our search teams recovered a body in the lake. Based on the location where the body was found, physical characteristics of the body, clothing found on the body, and the physical condition of the body - as well as the absence of any other persons reported missing in the area - we are confident that the body found is that of Naya Rivera."
Officials added that "she was found in a north-eastern portion of the lake, near the surface of the water".
Ayub also said that Naya's four-year-old son was able to help detectives with their investigation, saying:
"We know from speaking with her son that he and Naya swam in the lake together at some point during their journey. it was during that time that she's son described being helped into the boat by Naya, who boosted him into the boat from behind.
"He told investigators that he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water."
Naya's son was found sleeping and drifting alone in the lake roughly three hours after they rented the boat.
Following the tragic confirmation, tributes to the late 33-year-old have flooded social media.
Jane Lynch, who played stern cheer coach Sue Sylvester on the hit show, tweeted out: "Rest sweet, Naya. What a force you were. Love and peace to your family."
Glee star Chris Colfer took to Instagram to share a picture of him with Naya, captioning the post: "How can you convey all your love and respect for someone in one post? How can you summarize a decade of friendship and laughter with words alone?
"If you were friends with Naya Rivera, you simply can’t. Her brilliance and humor were unmatched. Her beauty and talent were otherworldly. She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness. She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single remark. She inspired and uplifted people without even trying. Being close to her was both a badge of honor and a suit of armor. Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be.
"Sending all my love to her wonderful family and her beautiful son."
And Glee actor and producer Josh Sussman took to Twitter to write simply: "Naya, you will be missed so much."
And Kevin McHale - who played Artie Abrams on the hit musical show - also tweeted out a picture of him with Naya, writing: "My Naya, my Snixxx, my Bee. I legitimately can not imagine this world without you."
In a lengthy tribute, McHale added that he was "thankful for all the ways in which she made [him] a better person", and that Naya taught him how to advocate for himself and to "speak up for the things and people that were important".
Next, Glee star Alex Newell tweeted: "Now more than ever we must lift her family and friends up especially Josey! My heart is sent to them... Josey you are truly loved by every single person who loves your mommy! I love you Naya!"
Many fans have also posted their tributes to Rivera - with some including videos of Naya's performances of 'Here Comes the Sun', 'Smooth Criminal', 'Girl on Fire' and 'Valerie'.
Others credited Naya for giving representation to LGBTQ+ people - as she played a lesbian Latina character onscreen.
The Voice star Bryan Salaz praised Naya, writing: "Naya Rivera. didn’t realize the impact u had on my life growing up, being the first POC, LGBTQ character I saw on screen. I grew up listening to [you] sing, being inspired by the girl on glee who looks like me & is unapologetically herself. you changed so many lives. rest easy angel."
Another fan wrote: "So devastated. growing up, GLEE gave me the strength I needed to come to terms with my sexuality. seeing characters like Santana gave me so much hope & courage. You helped an entire generation of LGBTQ+ people, Naya. A talent like no other. Rest In Peace."
In the case of Rivera's death, police added that they do not suspect foul play and that there is no indication of suicide.
A post-mortem examination will follow.
Rivera's last Instagram post was a picture of her and her son, Josey, captioned: "It's just the two of us."
In another post published last week, Rivera told her fans: "No matter the year, circumstance, or strifes everyday you're alive is a blessing. make the most of today and every day you are given. tomorrow is not promised [sic]."
Rivera started her career in the spotlight as a child actress and model, appearing in TV commercials in the US.
At four years old, she landed the role in the CBS sitcom The Royal Family - and had a number of other TV appearances followed.
However, Rivera became a household name when she landed the role of cold-hearted cheerleader Santana Lopez in Glee back in 2009.
Rivera married fellow actor Ryan Dorsey back in 2014, and the couple welcomed their son - Josey Hollis Dorsey - in 2015.
The couple divorced in 2018, but maintained joint custody of their son up until Rivera's passing.
Our thoughts go out to Naya's family, friends, and fans at this time...
