Nearly three weeks after the discovery of Deborah Collier’s body near Victory Home Lane in Tallulah Falls, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to gather information and await answers in the ongoing murder case.
During an update Friday morning, sheriff’s officials said they are confident in a few things about the case so far: Collier’s death was a homicide. It was not a random crime. And it was not the work of a serial killer.
Lead Investigator George Cason explained how investigators are proceeding with the case.
“There was a question about our thoughts of this being a homicide,” Cason said. “We have not changed our thoughts about this being a homicide. We’re still treating this as a murder investigation. And we will not change that. We will diligently and continuously work, day and night, trying to solve this case and trying to bring justice to Ms. Collier and her family.”
Asked whether it is possible that Collier could have met someone near where the van was parked around Victory Home Lane, Cason said investigators are still working that and other aspects of the case.
“I'm going to go back to the answer that we're not ruling anything out,” Cason said. “We're still trying to develop leads. We're still following up on tips and information. We're still awaiting information back from search warrants and subpoenas that we have sent off once that in for phone records as well. Once that information comes back and we have time to actually analyze and go through the details, then we'll have a better answer for that.”
Chief Deputy Murray Kogod again stressed investigators do not believe Collier’s death was random.
“There is no information or evidence to this point that shows that this was something random, that there was something that was out that was not from somebody that she either knew, or somebody who she had some association with,” Kogod said. “That's what we're seeing at this time. So based on that information, we do not believe that this is a random act of violence. We do not believe that this is the act of a serial killer. We believe that this act was deliberate and personal.”
During the update, Cason showed a picture from the school zone cameras at Tallulah Falls School on Ga. 15 that was captured as Collier was northbound on Ga. 15 prior to visiting the Family Dollar store in Clayton.
An additional video from a business near that store shows Collier leaving the Family Dollar store at 3:09 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, and sitting in her vehicle in the parking lot for 10 minutes before heading south on Ga. 15 / U.S. 441.
Cason said investigators need to talk with anyone who communicated with Collier from Friday, Sept. 9, through Sunday, Sept. 11.
“If anyone had contact with Deborah Collier during that timeframe, as far as Sept. 9 all the way through Sept. 11, specifically around the timeframe of 3:19 to Sunday when the body was found – if anyone had any contact or might have seen or talked to her, please, we encourage you to come forward and speak with us,” Cason said.
Investigators agree this a difficult case, as Cason explained.
“I’ll tell you straight up right here as far as the investigation goes, it seems like once you get on track with something a curveball comes out of nowhere,” Cason said. “That’s why we’re staying diligent and trying to stay on top of things and following up with leads – because we want to make sure we get facts. We want to make sure we have all the information before we start pushing forward.”
Cason said in his mind there’s no such thing as a bad tip and he encourages anyone with any information, no matter how small, that might help investigators in the Collier case to contact him at (706) 839-0560 or Investigator Cale Garrison at (706) 839-0559 immediately.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2022/9/1135188/habersham-county-investigators-colliers-death-not-random-act-nor-work-of-serial-killer