Cops: Georgia man with woman’s body in car jumped into lake fleeing deputies
A Georgia woman who had been reported missing was found dead in a car driven by her child’s father Wednesday morning, officials said.
Toriyahna Proctor, 21, was reported missing around 8:40 a.m., the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. When she was last contacted Tuesday night, she was with her baby’s father, 22-year-old Jadarius Watts of Forsyth, as they traveled in his black Chevrolet Malibu.
Deputies searching for the car found it just before noon at the Holly Grove boat ramp on Lake Juliette, the sheriff’s office said. Watts was sitting inside the car, but stepped out and was being searched when he suddenly ran away, authorities said.
Watts, who could not swim, ran to the lake and jumped in, according to the sheriff’s office. He was quickly rescued by deputies and handcuffed while they searched his car.
During their search, deputies found Proctor dead inside the Malibu, the sheriff’s office said. Officials did not say where her body was found in the car or how she was killed.
Watts was arrested and charged with murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and obstruction of law enforcement. He was booked into the Monroe County Jail and remains there without bond.
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.
