Two Georgia firefighters who went missing late last month were found dead in Tennessee, authorities confirmed. The tragic discovery of Raegan Anderson and Chandler Kuhbander, along with Anderson’s vehicle, was made in Cocke County, Tennessee, as announced by the Hinesville, Georgia police on Sunday.
Details surrounding their deaths remain scarce. The police have directed all inquiries to the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), which is spearheading the investigation.
“TBI agents are working alongside the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of two people after their bodies were discovered inside a vehicle along Hollow Road in Cosby on Sunday morning,” the TBI stated on Tuesday.
The bodies have been sent for autopsies to confirm their identities and determine the causes and manners of death. The investigation is ongoing, TBI noted.
Liberty County Fire Chief Brian Darby expressed profound sorrow over the loss of the two firefighters. “These two extremely dedicated employees put their hearts and souls into protecting and serving the citizens of Liberty County,” Darby said in a statement. “Our prayers, and those of the department, are with the families during this most difficult time.”
A representative from the Liberty County Fire Department declined to comment further on Tuesday.
Cocke County, Tennessee, where the bodies were found, is approximately 400 miles north of Midway, Georgia, the hometown of the firefighters.
The case gained public attention last week when Hinesville police posted a notice on Facebook about the missing firefighters. The post included a photo of Anderson’s vehicle, a black 2017 Ford Focus. Anderson was last seen on June 25 at Liberty County Fire Services Station #1. Authorities suspect that Anderson was accompanied by Kuhbander, who was also reported missing in Liberty County.
According to NBC affiliate WBIR of Knoxville, Tennessee, Kuhbander’s vehicle was located in Savannah, Georgia, and Anderson’s vehicle was seen in Richmond Hill, Georgia, before being found in Tennessee.
The mystery surrounding their disappearance and subsequent deaths has left the community in shock and mourning. As the investigation continues, friends, family, and colleagues of Anderson and Kuhbander are left grappling with the loss of two individuals who dedicated their lives to public service and the safety of others.