Canada police has found the lifeless body of Loretta Saunders whose family had been searching for her for the past couple of weeks.

They initially hoped she would soon be found alive. But reportedly, the 26-year-old student of Saint Mary's University was dumped in the middle of the Trans-Canada Highway. Police discovered her body in New Brunswick on Feb. 26. Saunders was last seen on Feb. 13.

BREAKING: Halifax woman Loretta Saunders’ body found in New Brunswick. http://t.co/rMgN1JQNKW pic.twitter.com/cbMystbkhk

— CBC News (@CBCNews) February 26, 2014

CTV News reported Saunders' family had been expecting her to be found alive. According to Halifax Police Constable Pierre Bourdages who called the incident "completely tragic," it turned out to be a "homicide investigation" even though everyone had the belief that she was alive.

Many members of the Saunders family have been looking for Loretta in Halifax. They did not comment on her dead body after being found by the police.

Cheryl Maloney, spokesman for the Saunders family, said the family should be given time to deal with the tragic news. Maloney is also the president of the Nova Scotia Native Women's Association.

A couple were charged with the theft of Saunders' car, a 2000 Toyota Celica. The arrested people were identified as Blake Leggette, 25, and Victoria Henneberry, 28, according to The Globe and Mail reported.

The victim's car was found near Windsor, Ontario in the previous week. According to Saunders Delilah Terriak, the university student was about to complete her graduation in May. She was doing a research for her thesis on aboriginal women who were left missing and murdered. Saunders was an aboriginal woman herself.

Meanwhile, 43-year-old Annie Clair who resides in the Elsipogtog First Nation claimed earlier in a press conference that she had met Saunders merely before she was left missing.

According to her, Saunders was pregnant for 3 months. She wanted to have discussions with Clair on aboriginal women, native tradition and the language. That was what she did not experience while growing up, Clair said.