ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- An Escambia County family is grieving after they say that a body found this week was identified as their missing loved one.

21-year-old Marvis Bedgood was reported missing and endangered in mid-December.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons confirmed Bedgood was found dead.

Deputies located the body in a wooded area on Pinestead Road in the Wedgewood community.

Bedgood's mother says her family can finally have some closure now they have found him.

"Marvis was my miracle baby. Marvis was a very sweet child. Marvis -- he was so sweet. He was genuine. That was my baby," Sheunta Gooden, Bedgood's mother said.

Bedgood was reported missing on Dec. 18. His mother says it was like her son had vanished.

For nearly a month, Gooden searched for her son, pleading for help from the public and law enforcement.

"We got a call recently, a tip if you will, that someone may have injured him or killed him and then buried him in a wooded area off of Pinestead. So we went out on the 7th of January and we were able to locate Mr. Bedgood," Sheriff Simmons said.

Gooden believes Bedgood was killed and now she wants justice.

"The autopsy showed that foul play is suspected. The death was likely the result of gunshot wounds. So our investigators have been out there treating this as a homicide," Sheriff Simmons said.

Gooden says Bedgood was supposed to celebrate his 22nd birthday next week.

Instead of a birthday party his family is planning a memorial for that day.

"He's got seven other siblings, his grandma, you know his dad and his other side of the family. There's just so many people who love Marvis and this is a tragedy for all of us. We're trying to cope as best as we can," Gooden said.

Sheriff Simmons says deputies have conducted search warrants as part of the investigation.

Investigators are asking for anyone with information to contact the sheriff's office at(850) 436-9620.