Missing Rock Spring woman’s body found
By Josh O'Bryant
Thursday July 24, 2008 6:52:17pm


The body of Judy Payne, the Rock Spring woman who has been missing since Monday, was found late Thursday afternoon in Cloudland Canyon State Park in Dade County.

Officials believe she fell accidently to her death down a 200- to 250-foot cliff into a gorge.

According to Dade Sheriff Patrick Cannon, the body was sent to a GBI lab in Atlanta for cause of death and official identification.

Dozens of rescuers had been searching since Tuesday for Payne, who was last seen Monday morning when she left for work.

Her car was found about 10:30 p.m. Monday abandoned at the park on Lookout Mountain, which prompted officials that night to search for her along main trails.

On Thursday searchers found her body off a cliff about 350-400 yards from where the car was parked. It was found about 4:05 p.m. at the bottom of a steep cliff.

Officials believe Payne, who was wearing hiking boots, went hiking.

“We do not suspect any foul play,” Sheriff Cannon said.

“You have to hike a good ways to get to the point where she was at,” he said.

She had crossed over a railing and gone further than normal, the sheriff said.

“We have had people who have fallen off who crossed that rail,” he said, but who were not fatally injured.

“We are relieved to bring closure to the family and we are sorry that it ended in this manner,” said Kim Hatcher, public affairs coordinator with the Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites.

The body was removed using reppelling ropes.

The park, which has been closed since the search began, will be reopened Friday.

VIDEO: Dade Sheriff Patrick Cannon




To launch external video player, click here

Related content from walkermessenger.com

  • Georgia State Defense Force joins search for missing woman (includes video)

  • Dozens search mountain for missing Walker County woman (includes video)

  • Who is Judy Payne?

  • Red Cross: “Our mission .. is to provide sustenance” for searchers (includes video)


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    Shadow
    Comments: 58
    Joined: 02/09/2007
    07/27/2008 10:31:42 PM
    Okay, okay, I heard it on a news cast also. They said seven miles, but its here in print 350-400 yds. Who knows. Hopefully her family will find peace knowing where she is, unlike Theresa Parker's family. I pray it was not foul play or some poor decision in one of lifes low points but instead just an accident.
     
    mcs
    Comments: 1
    Joined: 07/26/2008
    07/26/2008 04:54:12 PM
    Did she have problems with depression? Was this a suicide? There are a lot of unanswered questions? How far is it from where she lived to Cloudland Canyon? My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.
     
    Vocalwhennecessary
    Comments: 453
    Joined: 04/10/2008
    07/26/2008 02:32:32 AM
    I knew I wasn't losing my mind...............not totally anway. This will take you to the article where they said the body was found 7 miles from the parking lot where her car was at. Look at the 3rd paragraph into the article.

    http://www.newschannel9.com/news/payne_970350___article.html/park_body.html


    VWN
     
    Vocalwhennecessary
    Comments: 453
    Joined: 04/10/2008
    07/26/2008 02:27:17 AM
    I probably misunderstood. I could have sworn I heard one of the newscasts saying the body was found 7 miles from the car. I didn't make any sense to me at the time either, but that's what they said. Then, that the body was 250-300 feet down the gorge, and the fact that someone had to repel down to even find the body. I'm still asking myself what made them search that particular area?

    VWN
     
    Shadow
    Comments: 58
    Joined: 02/09/2007
    07/26/2008 12:27:52 AM
    VWN, You're stretching things way too far out. Where did 7 miles come from? I agree it doesn't make sense for her to travel from Catlett to Cloudland to hike when she was supposed to be traveling to Rossville Blvd. to work. Playing hooky at a job you've only been at a short time in this economy??? Who knows, I've done it before. Besides, people do sometimes do things on impulse.
     
    TMagik1
    Comments: 19
    Joined: 04/29/2008
    07/25/2008 05:13:44 PM
    I'm thinking, I read the comment, she was found 340 feet from her car. Off of a steep cliff. Where did you get the seven mile information, vwn...?
    TMagik
     
    Vocalwhennecessary
    Comments: 453
    Joined: 04/10/2008
    07/25/2008 04:51:23 PM
    Something just isn't adding up. According to reports, her lunch was in the car? She also didn't show up for work. Nothing from the family. Why send the body to Atlanta when there's a GBI lab next door to Hays State Prison in Trion? Her body was found 7 miles from her car. What made them search that particular area? They had to repel down to even see the body, much less find the body, as it couldn't have been seen 300-350 feet below in dense foilage. What led them there? Possibly a tip? From whom? I give up. I'm tired.................


    VWN
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