On Friday, October 17, 2025, shortly before 2pm, Deputies were dispatched to a residence in West Summerville regarding a possible stolen vehicle. The investigation determined that the complainant’s mother, Kimberly Lindsey, had left in the vehicle that was reportedly owned by the complainant’s grandmother earlier that morning. Attempts to contact her by her family were unsuccessful.
Later in the day, family members located the vehicle along with some personal effects at the Family Dollar store on Commerce Street near the dumpsters located at the rear of the store. Family reported that it was very common for Ms. Lindsey to frequent dumpster locations and attempt to retrieve things she wanted to collect. I, Sheriff Mark Schrader, along with Chief Deputy Woods traveled to that location. Law Enforcement was advised, by Ms. Lindsey’s boyfriend, that on a day prior to this day, He had to assist her out of a waste container at a different location partly due to, what he reported as, some level of prescription intoxication.
We noticed that the waste containers at this location were empty. We attempted to locate and track the times that the containers had been emptied and the destination of the contents. It was determined that a local waste management company had emptied the containers earlier that morning and had taken the contents to the Chattooga County transfer station after 1pm. Based on the investigation and information provided by family, we decided to meet at the transfer station and focus the search for Ms. Lindsey at that location.
Summerville Police Detectives along with Capt. Railey, Mr. Ledford, Mr. Larkins with Chattooga County Public Works and Commissioner Allen met with us at that location. We were able to determine where the waste container contents were placed and focused our search in a certain waste transport trailer. Commissioner Allen and Mr. Larkins were able to use equipment to remove waste from the area that we were focusing on. We decided, after some excess was removed, to search the remainder of the contents by hand. Mr. Larkins and K9 Deputy Robinson began the slow removal of waste, piece by piece, until Ms. Lindsey’s body was located. Coroner J. McElhaney was notified and arrived on the scene. Summerville Police began to process the area. Investigator D. Sanford assisted in the search and provided aerial video recording and lighting of the scene with a drone. Summerville Fire Dept also provided lighting of the area.
Ms. Lindsey will be transported to the GBI medical examiner’s office for further investigation and examination.
“This was not the outcome that we were hoping for. I would like to thank all agencies and personnel for their quick response and assistance in this search. I truly believe that had the response not been so quick, and the search not been so thorough, that truck container would have been removed and transported out of county. Ms. Lindsey’s family may have never gotten closure. Please pray for this family during this terrible tragedy”. – Sheriff Mark A. Schrader
