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Ernestine Merritt, 79, Found Dead After DeKalb County Search

The discovery followed a Mattie’s Call after days of searches by police with church volunteers.

Overview

  • The DeKalb County Police Department said investigators located her body in woods behind the 3900 block of Old Ivy Court on Jan. 7.
  • Merritt was last seen around 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 4 leaving her home on the 2400 block of Yolanda Trail in Ellenwood.
  • Authorities had issued a Mattie’s Call, Georgia’s alert for missing vulnerable adults, as officers and Greenforest Community Baptist Church members searched.
  • Police reported no indication of foul play based on a preliminary investigation.
  • She had been diagnosed with dementia, and local reports cited her Facebook page identifying her as a retired high school English teacher.