UPDATED: Missing Augusta Woman, Husband Found Dead In Alabama

6:00 UPDATE from WJBF News Channel 6’s Paige Tucker:

Augusta, GA—“Fairly early on when we got the case, we felt that there were serious, serious problems,“ says Lt. Scott Peebles, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

Those suspicions were confirmed early Tuesday morning when Jessica Murphy’s car was found in Conecuh County, Alabama. Murphy and her estranged husband, Scottie, were found dead inside.

Richmond County investigators say they believe 37-year old Scottie Murphy killed Jessica in Augusta days ago.

Murphy’s mother reported her missing after she didn’t hear from her, which was unusual, and found out she didn’t show up for work at the Augusta Chronicle Saturday.

“From everything we saw here, her intent was to go to work and she didn’t make it back to work. And we knew that there were problems in this relationship,“ says Lt. Peebles.

Investigators do believe she made it to the Tubman street home that, until recently, she shared with her husband. Leads took investigators to Athens overnight and then their eyes turned to Alabama where the two were eventually found.

“We’re trying to collect what information they have there, there’s no information that anyone assisted or aided Scottie Murphy, so there’s likely not going to be any arrests.“

3:00 p.m. UPDATE from Lt. Scott Peebles, of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office:

This morning, at around 8:00 a.m., the Conecuh County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office responded to a rest area on I-65, in reference to a possible suicide. Upon arrival, officers discovered the body of Scott Dean “Scottie” Murphy, of Augusta. Murphy was situated in the front seat of his estranged wife’s vehicle, 2003 Kia Rio, which had been reported missing on Saturday, in Richmond County. Upon further investigation, officers located the body of missing Jessica Lynn Murphy in the trunk of the vehicle. Initial indications are that Jessica had been deceased for several days. Cause of Jessica Murphy’s death is not yet known and is pending an autopsy by Alabama authorities. 

It is believed that Jessica Murphy was likely killed by Scottie Murphy at an apartment on Tubman Street, in Augusta, on Saturday, when she was due to drop items off at the residence before reporting to her job at the Augusta Chronicle, at 2:30. Scottie Murphy’s reasons for being in Alabama are unknown, as there are no known links between Scottie Murphy and the area he was located in.

Augusta, GA—Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office tell WJBF News Channel 6 that a woman, who was last seen on Saturday, has been found dead in Alabama.

The bodies of Jessica Lynn Murphy, 30, and her estranged husband, 37-year-old Scottie Murphy, were reportedly found at a rest stop near Evergreen, Alabama.

Jessica Lynn Murphy was last seen on Saturday on Mike Padgett Highway at Brown Road.

She was an employee at ‘The Augusta Chronicle.‘ We are told her body was found in the trunk of the car, and her husband’s body was found in the driver’s seat.

Investigators say they believe the two died in an apparent murder-suicide.

According to our ssiter station in Alabama, WKRG-TV, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) has confirmed 2 people were found along I-65, near exit 83. The ABI Will not confirm the identities of the bodies, but say they have talked to authorities in Augusta.

Investigators are at Murphy’s house, continuing with their investigation. We have pictures from the scene below:

We have a crew on scene. Count on WJBF News Channel 6 for more on this developing story as it becomes available.

Below are pictures from the Evergreen, Alabama crime scene, courtesy of the Evergreen Courant: