Body found buried behind home shocks residents

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga (WDEF) –  A body was found just behind a home on Novella Drive where William Boerner and his family live.

“I have walked back their many times not knowing I was walking over a dead body,” Boerner said.

He said it wasn’t until he got home from work Wednesday that he found out what was going on.

Whitfield County authorities located a body believed to be Christine Medlin wrapped in a blue tarp and in a shallow grave just inside the wood line and not far from where Boerner lives.

“I was like wow.  I said makes me not want to walk back there anymore honestly,” Boerner said.

William and Nikki Boerner said they moved into the home in December.

According to officials, Medlin and her girlfriend Amy Duckett used to live in the same home.

Nikki said they knew the two ladies because they used to live nearby.

She described them as two friendly women.

“I’m just shocked because she used to watch my kid. She used to come over to cookouts didn’t think anything about it and now we just find that out today. It’s a little eerie and creepy,” Nikki said.

Authorities arrested Duckett who led authorities to the body.

Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood said Duckett was a person of interest, and they’ve kept in contact with her since Medlin was reported missing in March of 2017.

“Whatever stirred her to surface this morning, you know we’re appreciative of it. We hope that it does give the Medlin family some degree of closure. It may not be the best news in the world that we want to deliver, but hopefully there’s a degree of closure there,” Sheriff Chitwood said.

Duckett has been charged with false statements, concealing death of another person, and hindering law enforcement officers.

But, the investigation is ongoing.

“It will be interesting to see what the cause of death is determined from the crime lab and then certainly that may very well open up some additional doors,” Sheriff Chitwood said.