Severed Leg Belonged to Missing Florida Woman

March 28, 2012— -- A severed leg that washed ashore in St. Petersburg, Fla., last December belonged to Kelly Moriarty, who went missing and has since been pronounced dead, Bradenton Police confirmed today.

Moriarty, 38, of Bradenton, Fla., was last seen with her girlfriend, Doris Wade Carter, 62, on Dec. 17, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Carter has also been reported missing.

The two women were last seen in Carter's home in Plant City by Carter's live-in daughter, Stacey Muralt, Hillsborough County police said. The women, who had been romantically involved for the past two years, reportedly left the morning of Dec. 17 in Moriarty's car.

It was not uncommon for both women to be away for extended periods, Muralt told Bradenton Police. Muralt's husband, Anthony, told police the women left on Christmas vacation last year and did not return until the first week of February. He confirmed to police Moriarty was staying at the residence the week before her disappearance.

Stacey Muralt described the women's relationship to Bradenton Police as "passionate and volatile." She told ABC News' affiliate WFTS-TV that the women had a tumultuous relationship. Carter's husband died of a heart attack in 2005, WFTS-TV reported. The women began dating two years ago.

"They fought a lot," she said.

Moriarty's car was found Dec. 20 in Parrish by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. There was no evidence of foul play, Hillsborough County police said.

Moriarty's family discovered she was missing on Jan. 27 when an apartment manger where Moriarty lived contacted her brother, Brenden Moriarty, who was listed as the emergency contact on her lease. Moriarty had not paid her rent for December or January and management was unable to contact her. The landlord entered her apartment and found no signs of disturbance, according to Hillsborough County police.

A Christmas tree was still up with unopened presents underneath. Milk in the fridge was dated Dec. 23 and a newspaper lay on the sofa dated Dec. 8. That day, Brendan Moriarty reported her missing to Bradenton Police. The Moriarty family told police they had not seen or spoken to Ms. Moriarty since Thanksgiving.

The severed leg was discovered Dec. 27 by Canadian tourists on vacation in the area. Using DNA samples provided by both women's families, examiners were able to link the leg to Moriarty, Hillsborough Police said. Investigation of the initial crime scene of the leg is still under investigation.

"When we saw she was found, we closed our missing person case," Capt. Warren Merriman of Bradenton Police told ABC News. "Now it's up to Bay Area agencies to follow up on the cause of death."