Tricia McCauley dead: Actress' body found in car after disappearing on Christmas day

McCauley had been expected to attend Christmas dinner at the home of a friend

McCauley, a 46-year-old yoga teacher who was a stand-in for the dance film Step Up, was found in her Toyota Scion car (Facebook / Tricia Mccauley)

An actor who did not show up to Christmas dinner has been found dead in her car in Washington DC.

Tricia McCauley, a 46-year-old yoga teacher who was a stand-in for the dance film Step Up, was found in her Toyota Scion car in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to Washington DC police.

McCauley’s family announced her death on Facebook early on Tuesday morning and Interim DC Police Chief Peter Newsham later confirmed it at a news conference.

“Tricia is gone, they found her body,” her brother Brian McCauley wrote on Facebook. “No more details from the police at the moment, just that they found her body.”

McCauley had been expected to attend Christmas dinner at her friend's house who she contacted around 4.30 pm on Sunday. However, she did not show up and stopped replying to phone calls and texts.

The actress also missed a flight out of Ronald Reagan National Airport on Monday morning. This sparked a search across the city of Washington.

“The investigation is progressing rapidly,” Newsham said at a Tuesday morning press conference.

He said the suspect was in custody. He also said police do not believe that the suspect knew Ms McCauley.