Nicole Alston, 24, had moved to the Atlanta area during the summer of 2006, and was never heard from again.
Human remains discovered inside a burning black bag in Georgia have, after 16 years later, been identified as those of a 24-year-old New York City woman.
The Troup County Sheriff’s Office released a statement Wednesday, identifying Nicole Alston as the woman whose headless body was found the morning of December 6, 2007.
Authorities said they have been in contact with Alston’s family, who confirmed she had moved to the Atlanta area during the summer of 2006, and was never heard from again.
Police found the still smoldering black bag near an intersection, and quickly realized the bag contained partial remains.
The victim’s hands, feet and head were all missing.
“At that point in the investigation, the remains were sent to the GBI Crime Lab to try and determine an identification,” reads the statement. “The only determination made was that it was an obvious homicide and the victim was an unidentified adult black female.”
The case went cold for years. But then, in early 2023, “this case along with DNA was sent to Innovative Forensic Investigations” in Virginia and Gene by Gene Laboratories in Texas.
After testing, investigators were informed yesterday there was a positive match on the remains.
“Now that an identification on the victim has been made, our Criminal Investigators will continue to move forward with this homicide investigation,” the statement explains. “Our appreciation to Innovative Forensic Investigations, Gene by Gene Laboratories and the GBI for their assistance in this 16 year old case.”
Anyone who may have any information regarding this case is asked to call the sheriff’s office’s Criminal Investigation Division at (706) 883-1616 or La Grange Crime Stoppers at (706) 812-1000.
