Missing Chambers County woman found dead after weeklong search
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- Missing 35-year-old Sarah Elizabeth Barninger found dead in wooded area after weeklong search.
- Preliminary findings indicate she died from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound; autopsy pending.
The body of Sarah Elizabeth Barninger, a 35-year-old woman who was reported missing on October 11, has been located, according to the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials said a search team with Central Georgia K9 Search & Rescue located Barninger’s body at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, in a wooded area approximately one mile behind her residence.
The area was on property owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was not accessible by vehicle, according to investigators.
Barninger was reported missing on October 11.
Investigators previously said video footage from her home showed her walking away from the residence. Her cell phone, which had reportedly been factory reset, along with other personal belongings, was left behind.
According to the sheriff’s office, preliminary information indicates Barninger died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Her body has been transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy.
The case remains under investigation by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division and the Chambers County Coroner’s Office.
Sheriff Nelson thanked the volunteers and first responders who assisted with the search throughout the week, specifically recognizing Central Georgia K9 Search & Rescue for its assistance in locating Barninger.
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