Discovered van linked to missing Trenton woman

Investigators believe the human remains found Wednesday morning in Lookout Valley are that of a Trenton, Ga., woman who went missing seven months ago.

Justine Creech
Justine Creech
photo Justine Creech

Investigators believe the human remains found Wednesday morning in Lookout Valley are that of a Trenton, Ga., woman who went missing seven months ago.

A hiker alerted police that she found a skull and a gold Town & Country mini van in the Dade County woods around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday off Burkhalter Gap Road and Scenic Highway. Wedged between an oak tree and an abandoned truck, the van's license plate is registered to Justine "Marie" Creech.

Creech's family reported her missing on June 4. They said she had suffered from depression and worried that a new medication might have made her confused.

Trenton Detective Tim Mitchell, the lead investigator on the case, thinks Creech drove over a bluff and rolled down a hill. He said police searched the area soon after Creech went missing but didn't see the vehicle, probably because the trees' leaves obstructed view during the summer.

He said the clothing on the human remains matched what Creech's family had last seen her wearing: purple pajama pants and a navy shirt.

Mitchell said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's crime lab will try to make a positive identification based on DNA or dental records.

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