A Georgia man allegedly strangled his girlfriend to death and died while trying to dump her body in the woods.
Daniel Robbins, 44, is believed to have strangled his girlfriend, Jessica Folds, 47, of Alabama, to death, and their bodies were found in Lanett, Alabama, about 80 miles northeast of Montgomery, on June 10, AL.com reported.
Following an investigation by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and an autopsy confirming Folds was strangled, authorities said it appeared that Robbins was attempting to dispose of her body when he died.
“He died of a heart attack while doing it,” 5th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Mike Segrest said. “Their bodies were right there together.”
Robbins and Folds were in a relationship before her death, WKRC reported.
The couple was found in the woods together after Chambers County sheriff’s deputies were called to a wooded area along County Road 86 in Lanett over an abandoned vehicle.
Authorities said the truck was still running and the driver’s side door was open. There were also drag marks in the dirt from the car running into the woods, where their bodies were found.
Segrest said that was no evidence to suggest where the strangulation took place, but that he believe it was a domestic incident, AL.com reports.
"Upon arrival, deputies located a deceased white female and white male in a wooded area near the vehicle," the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Investigators said that Robbins was trying to move Folds’ body into the woods when he collapsed, had a heart attack and died. His ex-wife said that he had a pre-existing heart condition.
Folds was found with her hands raised over her head, while Robbins was found in a fetal position, authorities said.
Folds was a mother of three adult sons, while Robbins had a daughter.
“Jessica touched the lives of many with her heart of gold, deep love for everyone, and a smile that brightened the world,” her obituary said.
Authorities have not shared a motive for the killing.
