A woman in Spalding County has been apprehended, accused of a gruesome murder followed by a deliberate act of arson intended to conceal her crime.
The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office has charged Christy Garner in relation to the violent demise of Patricia Gresham. Garner, aged 40, was taken into custody following a fire incident at a Dutchman Road residence on Sunday.
Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters received reports from a bystander about a body trapped within the blazing mobile home. Once the fire was controlled, the remains discovered within the charred structure were confirmed to belong to Gresham.
The bystander who alerted the firefighters about the body reportedly witnessed the violent act unfold within the trailer. He claimed to have seen Garner inflict a fatal wound on Gresham before setting the residence ablaze. The witness himself had survived an attack from Garner, managing to escape the deadly scenario unharmed.
The severity of the fire initially prevented the firefighters from entering the mobile home. The structural integrity of the trailer was compromised due to the blaze, which caused a hazard to the rescue team.
However, the they succeeded in controlling the fire and heat long enough to retrieve Gresham’s remains.
Detectives have also been investigating the cause of the fire. Garner’s subsequent arrest was the outcome of in-depth interviews and careful analysis of the evidence collected from the scene.
The charges leveled against Garner include malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, concealing the death of another, and tampering with evidence. She is currently in custody at the Spalding County Jail, with no provision for bail.