Human remains found as man arrested in search for missing woman Savannah Spurlock, authorities say
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Human remains that may belong to Savannah Spurlock, the Kentucky mother missing since January, were discovered late Wednesday in Garrard County, and one man is in custody, according to authorities.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Robert Purdy said authorities discovered human remains just before midnight Wednesday as part of a "search for information" relating to Spurlock.
The remains were taken to the Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy and identification, Purdy said.
Authorities had received a tip about 5 p.m. Wednesday of a foul odor coming from the property.
Just before midnight, human remains were located by law enforcement officials. As a result of the ongoing investigation the deceased is being taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for an autopsy & identification.
— Trooper Purdy (KSP) (@TprPurdy) July 11, 2019
On Thursday morning, David A. Sparks, 23, was booked into the Madison County Detention Center and charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.
Troopers said Sparks is the "primary suspect in a missing persons investigation."
Purdy told reporters the property belongs to a relative of a suspect.
During a search of the property, human remains were found "in an unnatural position beneath the surface of the ground," according to the arrest citation.
Other "items of evidence believed to be connected to the missing persons case" were also found with the remains, according to police.
"These items were last known to be in the control of only two individuals, the missing person, and the above," Sparks' arrest citation reads.
And he was one of the last men seen with Spurlock when she went missing in January, WKYT reported.
While it's unclear what items were located Wednesday, Richmond police shared images of Spurlock's phone and purse, which she had with her the nig
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Previously: A 23-year-old mother of 4 has been missing for over a month: Here's what we know about the search
FBI Louisville's Evidence Response Team is on scene at a residence in Garrard County with @kystatepolice and the Richmond Police Department as part of the Savannah Spurlock investigation. Further comment will only be made when additional details are available.
— FBI Louisville (@FBILouisville) July 11, 2019
The discovery of human remains comes days after the six-month anniversary of Spurlock's disappearance.
The 23-year-old mother of four from Richmond was last seen leaving The Other Bar in Lexington in the early hours of Jan. 4 with three men.
Police had previously said Spurlock did not know the men prior to meeting them that night and that the group drove to a home in Garrard County, about an hour's drive south of Lexington.
Authorities had previously interviewed the three men but no arrests had been made.
WKYT said Richmond police also previously searched Sparks' home and towed away a car in January.
In the past few months, Spurlock's family had offered a $15,000 reward and set up tip boxes around Garrard County in hopes of finding out what happened to Spurlock.
On a Facebook page set up by Spurlock's family to help bring awareness to her case, a family member wrote a statement would be released Thursday morning.
"Thank you for your continued prayers," the post read.
Follow Billy Kobin on Twitter: @Billy_Kobin.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky missing woman Savannah Spurlock: Human remains were found
