A 22-year-old former police officer from Georgia, Miles Bryant, is facing upgraded charges of felony murder and kidnapping in connection with the death of 16-year-old Susana Morales.
The Gwinnett County Police Department disclosed on Wednesday that a handgun, which Bryant had reported as missing, was discovered in close proximity to Morales’ naked, skeletal remains, leading authorities to focus on him as a person of interest.
Prior to this, Bryant had been charged with concealing a death and making a false report of a crime. He was previously employed as a police officer in Doraville, a suburb of Atlanta, but was terminated due to the charges.
Susana was last seen on July 26 and reported missing the following morning by her family. Investigations have revealed that she had an interaction with Bryant on the night of her disappearance and did not return.
Police have not been able to ascertain the exact cause of her death, although they believe it occurred between the time of her interaction with Bryant and the early morning hours of July 27.
Her remains were found six months after she vanished.
Although it is uncertain if Bryant knew Morales or had prior contact with her, he was serving as a courtesy officer at the apartment complex she visited on the day she disappeared.
