Georgia mother Debbie Collier, who was found deceased last year near a Habersham County ravine, had 80% of her body burned while clutching a small tree and partially nude.
According to the New York Post, the autopsy report, which was provided by the George Bureau of Investigation (GBI), stated that Collier had “second and third degree burns involving 80% of the total body surface area” and “inhalation of superheated gases, thermal injuries and a hydrocodone intoxication.”
“Autopsy examination revealed thermal injuries of the external body surface and of the traceal mucosa (windpipe), no deposited soot in the airway, and no significant elevation of blood carboxyhemoglobin.”
“These findings may be due to a sudden, intense ‘flash’ fire, as well as the outdoor environment of the fire.”
Collier, 59, was reported missing on September 10, 2022, after she sent her daughter, Amanda Bearden, more than $2,000 via Venmo with a mysterious message that indicated she may have been kidnapped, as CrimeOnline previously reported.
“They are not going to let me go love you there is a key to the house in the blue flowerpot by the door,” the message read.
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Collier’s body was found the next day, partially nude and partially burned and 60 miles from the family’s Athens home. The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office said it was investigating the death as a homicide and at one point said Collier’s death was “personal and targeted.”
Much speculation centered around Bearden herself, as reports surfaced of her substance abuse and intense relationship with her boyfriend. But in an appearance on the podcast “Crime on the Record,” Bearden said she had come to believe her mother killed herself, noting that she had been “giving away things” and had seemed inordinately sad.
The State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed her speculation with a brief explanation of suicide. The autopsy report also didn’t indicate why Collier was found partially nude or why she was found gripping a small tree with her right hand.
“Investigation by law enforcement revealed circumstances consistent with a self-intentioned act and that she was alone at the time of the incident,” the report read.
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[Featured image: Debbie Collier/Facebook]
Additional reporting by KC Wildmoon
