Grundy County body discovery now homicide investigation

Murder investigation tile
Murder investigation tile

The probe into the discovery of a woman's body over the weekend has now become a homicide investigation following the release of a medical examination of the body.

TBI spokeswoman Susan Niland said the upgrade of the investigation follows preliminary autopsy reports.

The body of 26-year-old Samantha Kathleen Chandler was found Sunday afternoon by an ATV rider about 150 feet off the of Ross Creek Road "in an area that is frequented by recreational vehicles," Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum said in a statement.

Roads are mostly gravel in the remote wooded area south of Gruetli-Laager, Tenn., where there are few homes or other buildings.

Chandler's body was discovered near the location "where Ross Creek Road turns into Burketts Chapel Road," Niland said describing what is now a crime scene.

Now investigators are tracking down leads to find out why Chandler was in the remote area and who she was with, Shrum said.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Sheriff's Office at 931-692-3466 extension 5. Tips can be emailed to atinfo@grundysheriff.com or through Mobile Patrol, a smartphone app available to Grundy County residents that allows users to receive alerts and communicate with the sheriff's office.

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