Police chief Kevin Cern cleared his throat. His eyes searched the room for a moment, then he spoke into the microphone.

“We’ve found Carmen Sandiego.”

Thus was the end of the 29-year-long, global search for Sandiego marked. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a storybook ending.

Her body was found in a creek bed behind an apartment complex in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. There were three stab wounds to her neck and it’s estimated she had been there for a few weeks.

“It’s raised a new set of questions,” Cline explained. “Did she have mob connections? Is that why she was running all the time?”

Alongside her body, police found a collection of maps, a golden apple, a cryptograph and a loaded pistol. Her signature red coat was torn, ragged, and thick with blood stains.

Sandiego fans worldwide have mourned the death of their elusive hero.

“I’d spent years trying to figure out where she was,” said Matthew Drettin, age 35. “I came so close so many times. I feel like I could’ve saved her life. I could’ve saved her.

“I should have saved her,” he added.

Sandiego will have a memorial held next week. Turnout is expected to be large, with many fans wanting the chance to see Sandiego at least once in their lives.

“It’s sad and all that she died,” said Thomas Aide, age 14. “But I’m just excited that I get to see her. My dad said it’s history. That’s cool, I guess.”

Police will be present at the memorial, hopeful to find other missing characters that want to pay their respects.

“We have word that Waldo may make an appearance,” Cline said. “It might be in bad taste to arrest a mourning man, but really, how many other chances will we get?”

The Dailyer reached out to Waldo for comment, but only received a coupon for one of his books.