In light of the news that Naya Rivera‘s body was found at Lake Piru days after she went missing, those who knew the actor best have been paying tribute to her online. Ne-Yo, who co-starred alongside Rivera on Step Up: High Water, responded to the news by writing a sweet tribute to the late actor. On his Instagram Story, he published two separate posts in honor of Rivera, whom he said he dearly misses.
Ne-Yo took to his Instagram Story to post a photo of Rivera that was initially posted by Kiki Ely, a choreographer who also worked on Step Up: High Water alongside the actors. The “Let Me Love You” singer captioned the photo on his own Instagram Story with, “Goodbye mama, we’ll miss you. And we’ll never forget you.” In a separate message, he reposted a clip that Terrence Green, another star of Step Up: High Water, posted. The clip showcased Rivera singing “Amazing Grace,” an incredibly touching tribute to the star in light of her untimely passing.
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On Monday, authorities confirmed that they had discovered Rivera’s body at Lake Piru days after she initially went missing. During a press conference at the location, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said that Rivera’s body was discovered around 9:10 a.m. local time on Monday and that it was found in the northeastern portion of the lake, which has a depth of 30 to 65 feet. He also said that it appeared as though the body had been submerged under the water for several days. Ayub added that Rivera, who was not wearing a life jacket, was in the water with her four-year-old son Josey on Wednesday before she went missing. Her son told authorities that she then put him back onto the boat before she disappeared under the water. Josey was later found sleeping alone in the boat that he and his mother rented. He has since been reunited with his father, Rivera’s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey.
Ayub also said that there did not appear to be any evidence of foul play involved following an initial medical examination of the body (a more thorough analysis is forthcoming). This assessment aligns with what officials previously said about the case, with Ventura County Sgt. Kevin Donoghue telling PEOPLE on Friday that he did not believe as though there was any foul play involved, nor did he think that Rivera died by suicide, as some initially speculated. Instead, he said that this simply appears to be a “tragic accident.” But, he added that authorities are still investigating the situation.