HIAWASSEE - Two Hiawassee women, already in the Towns County Detention Center on other charges, now face murder charges after authorities found human remains in a well east of the city.
The remains were recovered around 7 p.m. Thursday, according to Towns County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Jeff Edge.
Edge said in a press statement that investigators with the Towns County Sheriff's Office acted on two leads Wednesday, one that led them to the remains in the well and the other that led them to question the suspects in the case.
According to Edge, Brittany Elizabeth Ledford, 21, and Rebecca Ann Stokes, 32, both of Hiawassee, were charged with murder after the two confessed to the crime.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, at the request of Towns County Sheriff Chris Clinton, came to Hiawassee to assist with the investigation and the recovery of the remains. Edge said because of the proximity of the well to a house and the need to preserve evidence, the task of recovering the body required many hours and much manpower and equipment.
Authorities have not said if the body found in the well is that of Diane "Dee Dee" Adams Donaldson. Donaldson's family went to authorities on June 24, saying they were concerned about her whereabouts. Towns County authorities had been treating her disappearance as a missing persons case.
Edge said the remains found in the well were taken to the GBI Crime Lab for positive identification.
Friday
October 25th, 2024
8:22AM
