Three individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the disappearance and death of 20-year-old Maury-Ange Martinez, whose remains were discovered in Tennessee after she was reported missing from Georgia in August 2023. The Cobb County Police Department revealed that Martinez’s remains were found in a wooded area near Chattanooga on January 5, and were later confirmed by the Hamilton County medical examiner to be hers. The cause of her death has not been made public.
Anita Darling, Martinez’s mother, received the news of the discovery on Mother’s Day and expressed her desire to uncover the truth about her daughter’s fate. The arrests of Allen Kerr, Sean Deshazer, and Jasmine Craig have been made in connection with the case. All three suspects are facing charges of concealing a death, which is considered a felony offense.
Kerr, 32, and Deshazer, 27, were already in custody on separate charges unrelated to Martinez’s case, while Craig was apprehended in another jurisdiction. Deshazer, who was already facing drug-related charges including possession of cocaine and marijuana, trafficking illegal drugs, and possessing a firearm during a crime, is now also implicated in Martinez’s death. Kerr, on the other hand, was detained on suspicion of drug and weapons possession as well as obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
The collaborative efforts of authorities from Cobb County and Hamilton County are ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding Martinez’s disappearance and death. While details about Martinez’s possible connection to the three suspects remain undisclosed, the investigation continues to shed light on the tragic events that led to her untimely demise.
