Police tell PEOPLE they have arrested two 19 year olds in connection with Drew Perham’s death

Drew Perham

Drew Perham.Credit : Drew Perham/Instagram

After more than 24 hours since their 24-year-old son failed to return home after a night out, a family in southern England said they received “the most horrendous news” on Sunday that he had likely been murdered.

Plymouth Live reported over the weekend that 24-year-old Drew Perham’s body was discovered by local authorities in the water near Millbay Marina, on the southern coast of England along the English Channel. The grim discovery came roughly one day after Perham’s family had reported him missing when he failed to come home after going out on Friday night, local Devon and Cornwall Police later said.

“We have unfortunately received the most horrendous news, our beautiful and wonderful Drew Perham has been cruelly been taken from us,” the victim’s family wrote on Facebook, according to Plymouth Live. “We appreciate all the support and messages, but right now we need the time to navigate this together.”

Drew Perham

Drew Perham.Drew Perham/Instagram

The Devon and Cornwall Police directed PEOPLE to new information Monday morning that says two 19-year-old men have been arrested in connection with Perham’s death. Local police did not identity the two suspects but said one of the men is from Plymouth while the other is from Exmouth, roughly 50 miles northeast of where Perham’s body was discovered.

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Drew Perham

Drew Perham.Drew Perham/Instagram

Detective Superintendent James Dowler said in a statement that it has been an “unbelievably difficult time” for Perham’s family after receiving the news from investigators on Sunday.

Dowler pleaded that “anyone who has information which may assist the police investigation is asked to please get in touch and report it.”

“We are particularly interested in people who may have been in the Millbay area between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. during the early hours of Saturday January 24,” the detective added.