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Law School Graduate From Md. Found Dead In Georgia

LAUREL, Md. (WJZ)—Police in Macon, Ga. say they believe a body found is that of 27-year-old Lauren Giddings, missing since last Saturday.

Pat Warren has the latest on the investigation.

Police say they have two persons of interest in what they believe is a murder. 

"The missing person we're going to treat it as she is the homicide victim," said Mike Burns, Macon, Ga. police chief.

Burns says the condition of the body prevents a positive ID at this time.

When asked was the body dismembered, Burns responded,"I'm not going to answer that out of respect for the family."

The family of Lauren Giddings, who live in Howard County, sends a request through police for privacy and compassion at this difficult time. 

Giddings graduated from law school at Mercer University this year. A friend reported her missing after she hadn't heard from Giddings in nearly a week.

Now a neighbor is now considered a person of interest in the case. He told reporters he and others had searched for Giddings.

"We looked around the place. No sign of a struggle, no sign that anyone had broken in. Just nothing. She was just gone. All of her stuff was there, her ID was there, her wallet was there, but she was just gone," said Stephen McDaniel, neighbor.

Police have released no information about the cause of death, but have included a search of a nearby landfill in their investigation.

The neighbor says he saw something on Giddings' computer.

"She said she was afraid in her apartment that someone had tried to break in on Thursday night and that she was afraid to stay there," McDaniel said.

McDaniel was later arrested as a suspect in an unrelated burglary.

Police have not identified the second person they consider of interest in the case.

Giddings' family laid flowers and held a vigil outside her apartment Saturday.

Giddings graduated from Atholton High School in Columbia.

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