The body found behind a restaurant in Branford is that of a missing East Haven mother, according to police.
The medical examiner positively identified the remains found behind LoMonaco's Ristorante as 27-year-old Lizzbeth Aleman-Popoca.
The cause and manner of her death have not yet been determined, police said.
The search for Popoca led police to find a body buried in a shallow grave behind the restaurant on Wednesday.
The owner of LoMonaco’s Ristorante said that someone who was in a relationship with Aleman-Popoca worked in the kitchen of the restaurant for at least seven years, prepping food. He said he's shocked and feels for the family.
Popoca's family reported her missing on July 3 and said she had been missing since the night of June 30, or the early morning hours of July 1.
East Haven police confirmed a body was found in what they described as a "shallow grave" near a dumpster in the restaurant parking lot.
The Connecticut State Police Major Crimes Division is assisting and East Haven police are also on scene.
