SANTO DOMINGO.- The body of Dominican-born U.S. soldier Alex Jimenez, missing in Iraq for more than a year has been found, said the Associated Press quoting his family Thursday night.

Although the military would not immediately confirm the report, Jimemez’s father, of Lawrence, Mass., said the remains of his son had been identified in Iraq, kidnapped along with a third member of the 2nd Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division during an ambush in May 2007 in the volatile area south of Baghdad known as the "triangle of death."

The AP said Ramon “Andy" Jimenez, father of Alex, received uniformed military officials in his home in Lawrence Thursday to tell him that his son's body and some of his son's personal effects had been recovered. The U.S. Defense Department’s policy is at least a 24 hour delay after the closest relatives are  notified, before releasing the information.

Jimenez’s father said that the news "shattered all hope" the family had to "see Alex walk home on his own," according to the Associated Press.