Husband and Wife Vanished After Leaving Note That ‘Concerned’ Their Family. Their Bodies Were Just Found by River

A Utah couple was found dead earlier this week near a river just one day after they were reported missing — and after they left a note that “concerned” their family, prompting the desperate search.

Officials were notified on Monday, Dec. 22, at 9:45 a.m. local time that hunters found two bodies approximately five miles west of Logan, not far from Logan River, the Cache County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Upon arrival, deputies established a crime scene for the investigation.

In a separate announcement, the Logan City Police Department confirmed that the deceased were Garrett and Meredith Dutcher.

“Our hearts are with the couple’s family and friends during this tragic time of loss,” police said.

The discovery is a devastating outcome for the Dutcher family.

On Sunday, Dec. 21, Garrett, 41, and 42-year-old Meredith were reported missing after family members located the unsettling missive from them, according to a police alert.

The couple had “left a typed note that concerned them,” authorities said. The letter included instructions about how to handle their property and vehicle at their house in Logan.

“It is believed that the Dutchers may have left their residence on foot,” officials said in the initial alert on Sunday.

The couple wasn’t located after officers searched the house and the surrounding grounds.

By the next morning, Meredith and Garrett were found dead. Their bodies have since been taken to the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office to determine their cause of death.

An investigation is ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Cache County Sheriff’s Office confirms to PEOPLE that an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 23. The sheriff’s office, the Logan City Police Department and the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office had no further information to add when contacted by PEOPLE.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“Sheriff’s investigators will work closely with Logan City investigators and the families to gather details related to the missing person report and the circumstances surrounding their deaths,” the sheriff’s office said.