DENVER — Denver hair stylist Jax Gratton, 34, missing for nearly two months, has been found dead.
Her mother, Cherilynne Gratton-Camis, announced the tragic news on Facebook Saturday.
Gratton-Camis confirmed to Denver7 that Gratton’s decomposed body was discovered in an alley in the 9600 block of W. Colfax Avenue on Friday.
She said a detective told her he visually identified Gratton through her tattoos.
"I'm very thankful for that because I would be waiting weeks," Gratton-Camis told Denver7.
Gratton-Camis also verified her daughter was wearing the same clothes she left in, bringing her comfort in knowing Gratton passed the same night she disappeared.
"That is comforting to me. She was gone the same night she left her house. She didn't spend 6-7 weeks in horrible situations," she said.
Gratton-Camis said they had been getting tips that she was being held captive and tortured.
"So, knowing that wasn't true ... that brings me peace," she said.
Lakewood police said her body was in the advanced stages of decomposition when a bystander came upon the discovery.
The cause and manner of death are yet to be determined, with a "suspicious death investigation" underway.
An autopsy by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office is scheduled for Sunday.
Gratton’s friends and family have been searching for the missing woman after she was last seen around 10 p.m. on April 15 near the 4200 block of E. Iliff Avenue in Denver.
According to friends, Gratton's roommate said she had told him she was heading out that night and would be gone for about three hours but never returned.
In Saturday’s Facebook post, Gratton-Camis thanked the community for their support and search efforts.
“I want to thank everyone — near and far — who has shown up for us. Everyone who shared her story. Everyone who shared her face. Everyone who sent out a prayer, a hope, a kind thought. Everyone who hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped,” Gratton-Camis said.
Gratton-Camis told Denver7 that she wants her daughter to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to take a stand.
"I want her legacy to be her positivity. She educated so many people. She would talk to people of all ages. She did haircuts for the homeless. She would never advertise that or post on facebook because she felt everybody deserved to feel beautiful and clean," Gratton-Camis said.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.