A body believed to be 46-year-old Tina Prince was located off Pleasant Grove Road in Washington County on Friday, June 4; this is based on a preliminary investigation, according to Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran.
During a Friday evening press conference, Sheriff Cochran explained that GBI Crime Scene Specialists and Washington County Sheriff’s Office Investigators were processing the scene; the body will be transported to the GBI Crime Lab for an autopsy for positive identification and cause and manner of death.
The discovery of the body on Pleasant Grove Road came approximately one week since Prince’s family last saw her while eating dinner at Puebla’s Mexican Restaurant in downtown Sandersville on Friday, May 28.
As previously reported by WACO 100, Prince received a telephone call while with her family; she exited the restaurant to take the call, and when she returned, she told her family she was leaving for the evening.
46-year-old Tina Prince, a first-grade teacher at Ridge Road Primary School, was reported missing by her family on Saturday, May 29.
Prince’s vehicle, a blue 2018 Kia Forte, was discovered in the Walmart parking lot early Sunday morning. Prince was not located with the vehicle. During the investigation it was determined that Prince left the Walmart parking lot with a male acquaintance.
Sheriff Cochran explained at the June 4 press conference that Aaron Matthew Adams, 31, of Sandersville was that male acquaintance previously mentioned in the investigation.
Adams was taken into custody on Friday; he is charged with felony concealing a death and two counts of false statements.
Sheriff Cochran thanked numerous agencies for assisting with this case.
“Without their assistance, we would not be where we are today with this investigation,” said Sheriff Cochran, who thanked deputies and investigators with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia State Patrol, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the Georgia Middle Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, the Sandersville Police Department, volunteer firefighters throughout Washington County, and the Washington County Emergency Management Agency.
Calling the week “very long and tiresome,” Sheriff Cochran asked for prayers for the family of Tina Prince, as well as for the Washington County School family.
Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 478-552-0911, or the Region 12 GBI Office at 478-374-6988. Tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS, or by submitting information online using the GBI’s’ See Something, Send Something’ mobile app.
