This story was originally published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Human remains found near Chattanooga’s Volkswagen facility earlier this year were identified as those of a woman reported missing from the Atlanta area last year, according to authorities.
Cobb County police asked the public last week for help in the case of Maury-Ange Faith Martinez, 20.
An autopsy by Hamilton County medical examiners linked Martinez to the found remains, according to Cobb County police.
Martinez was reported missing from Gwinnett County, northeast of Atlanta, on Aug. 28, according to a statement from Cobb County police. Her last known location was in an unincorporated area of Cobb County, police said.
Martinez’s remains were found on Jan. 4 off the 7600 block of Ferdinand Piech Way, according to Chattanooga police spokesperson Sgt. Victor Miller. Photos included in an autopsy report show that bones were found near the road, where the tree line begins.
Chattanooga police are conducting a death investigation, Miller said in an email. Cobb County authorities are doing their own missing person investigation, Miller said.
Anyone with information about where Martinez was around the time of her going missing can call Cobb County police at 770-499-3945 or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-8477.
Autopsy report
An autopsy done in Hamilton County was able to use teeth from the remains to confirm they belonged to Martinez, according to the medical examiners’ report.
The remains were mostly bone, with a small amount of skin that partially showed tattoos, according to the report. No muscle or other soft tissue was left by the time of the autopsy.
The cause and manner of Martinez’s death are undetermined, according to the report.
Examiners found no evidence of blunt or sharp force trauma or gunshot wounds, the report showed. The only damage found on the skeleton appeared to happen after death, according to the report.
Investigators on Jan. 4 found bones near the road by the Volkswagen and Gestamp facilities, the report said, and returned the next day to recover the rest of the remains.
The bones comprised a nearly complete skeleton, according to the report, just missing some bones from the hands, feet and head.
Two professors from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s anthropology department also assisted with inspecting the remains, the report showed.
Credit: Chattanooga Times Free Press
Credit: Chattanooga Times Free Press
MEET OUR PARTNER
Today’s story comes from our partner Chattanooga Times Free Press, which serves readers in Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama. Visit them at timesfreepress.com or on Twitter @TimesFreePress.
If you have any feedback or questions about our partnerships, you can contact Senior Manager of Partnerships Nicole Williams via email at nicole.williams@ajc.com.
About the Author
