A woman's body was found Thursday in a wooded area on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, and university officials say foul play is suspected in her death.
The university said in a statement to the Times that the victim was an undergraduate student at the school until spring 2023 and then enrolled in the nursing program at Augusta University, which has a campus in Athens.
According to the University of Georgia Police Department, a friend alerted campus police shortly after noon that a woman was missing after failing to return from a run near the university's intramural stadium.
At 12:38 p.m., officers found the woman's body in the woods near the lake. The woman, whose name and age were not released, was “unconscious and not breathing” and had “visible injuries to her,” police said. Paramedics arrived and pronounced her dead.
University Police Chief Jeffrey Clark said at a news conference Thursday night that police do not have any suspects.
“There's always a danger when a suspect is on the run,” the chief said. “However, there is no immediate danger at this time.”
Chief Clark declined to comment on the details of the death.
He said he does not recall any murders occurring on campus in the past 20 years.
The chief added that investigators are reviewing footage from campus security cameras. He asked anyone with information about this incident to contact the University Police Department at (706) 542-2200.
University police said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department are assisting in the investigation.
Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Gertz said she joins the community “with deep sadness over today's murder,” and that the city is working with university police to “quickly conclude” the investigation. added.
The university said President Jere Morehead met with members of the victim's sorority to express his condolences.
The school canceled the remainder of Thursday's classes and all Friday classes. In a statement, officials encouraged students and staff to take precautions on campus, advising them to “travel in groups whenever possible and be aware of their surroundings.” Augusta University also announced Friday that it had canceled classes at its nursing school campus in Athens.
On Thursday afternoon, students on campus said their classes had been canceled midway through, according to the campus newspaper Red & Black. The newspaper said officers conducted identification checks on people in the field before leaving the scene.
The body was found in a wooded area near Herrick Lake. The area is part of a larger recreational area that includes playing fields, tennis courts, and walking, running and cycling trails. The lake and intramural fields are adjacent to Oconee Forest Park.
