MACON, Ga. — A court appearance on Wednesday gave a little more information about a discovery of what is believed to be Gabby Dixon's body. She's the 18-year-old mother of two, and she went missing in October of last year.
Two men investigators arrested in the case appeared before a Macon judge Wednesday afternoon. Reginald Harris is charged with murder, and he's father of Dixon's children. His cousin, 19-year-old Jatarvius Price is charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
Both men asked for a commitment hearing in court. That's a hearing where the prosecution has to show there's enough evidence to justify holding them. The judge denied both men bond, so they're currently in the Bibb County Jail.
Investigators arrested Price Wednesday in Monroe County - the same county where a construction crew discovered remains in woods near Highway 87 and Bowdoin Road. The body was sent to the GBI for positive identification.
On Wednesday, Dixon's mom, Gabrella Searcy told 13WMAZ she's 99% sure it's her daughter. That's because of the red hair color Dixon had, and the clothes found with the body. Searcy said she was told by law enforcement that it appeared the person died of a shot to the head.
Last year, one month before Dixon went missing, warrants showed Harris choked her, pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her.
Three weeks before that, another warrant showed that Harris fired shots at Dixon's car while she and her kids were in it.
A week after Dixon's disappearance, officers arrested him on family violence charges. That same month, they also arrested Price in connection to Dixon's case, for making false statements and tampering with evidence.
13WMAZ did reach out to the GBI to see if they could tell us when the body will be identified. We have not heard back.
Normally, the Bibb County Sheriff's Office would be in charge on cases like this, but in March, the case was handed over to Anita Howard's District Attorney's Office, so we were referred to them for questions.
They sent us this statement:
"Yesterday our Office received notice from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office that the body of Gabby Dixon had been located. Our prayers go out to her family and loved ones, and we offer them our sincerest condolences. Because this case is active and pending in our Office and in order to preserve its integrity for all parties concerned, we are unable to discuss any aspects of it at this time."