Police find body believed to be that of missing South Australian nurse Gayle Woodford.

Police have located a body believed to be that of missing outback nurse Gayle Woodford, about 1.5 kilometres east of Fregon during a search today.

Mrs Woodford, 56, had not been seen since she and her husband went to bed on Wednesday night at their home in the remote APY Lands community, 1,200 kilometres north-west of Adelaide.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray said police found a shallow grave this afternoon and were expecting to find Mrs Woodford’s remains inside.

Forensic investigators will head to the area tomorrow to examine the scene, which is under police guard.

A four-wheel drive ambulance Mrs Woodford used for work was intercepted by police 400 kilometres away in Coober Pedy the morning after she disappeared.

Police said the ambulance’s GPS showed the vehicle had left Fregon after midnight and was driven to Mimili, and then Indulkana and Marla, in the early hours of Thursday.

Police found three people inside, and a 36-year-old man, from Fregon, has since been charged with the vehicle’s theft, and driving without a licence.

He remains in custody and is expected to be interviewed further later today.

This post originally appeared on ABC News.

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