Homicide investigation underway in Macon after body found, sheriff’s office says

A dead body was found in a trash can in an east Macon neighborhood Thursday morning and a death investigation was underway, according to the Bibb County Coroner’s Office.

Coroner Leon Jones confirmed the discovery.

“All I know is there was a body in a trash can,” Jones said.

Sgt. Christopher Williams of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the agency was “investigating a death” at Sanford Arms Apartments, a small neighborhood behind CVS on Gray Highway and Shurling Drive. The neighborhood was surrounded by crime scene tape.

Williams confirmed the case was being investigated as a homicide, and said it was a possible “domestic” situation.

The sheriff’s office provided a news release about the incident a short time later. Investigators were called to the area because Teasha Ariele Colbert, a 42-year-old Macon woman, was reported missing. Deputies responded to the neighborhood and found her dead, Williams said.

She was likely dead for more than eight hours before deputies found her, Jones said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is expected to perform an autopsy of her body Friday or early next week, according to Jones.

Three investigators and four technicians from the sheriff’s office’s Crime Lab were investigating evidence at the scene by around 12:15 p.m.

Deputies and emergency medical services from Atrium Health Navicent were at the scene by around 10:15 a.m. A deputy taped off the area around 10:20 a.m. Neighbors watched from their porches as investigators interviewed families.

One woman on scene said she was a family member of the victim.

“That was my sister,” said Sandy Colbert.

By 12:40 p.m., the area was cleared.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This story was originally published September 11, 2025 at 10:51 AM.