A 35-year-old northeast Georgia man is facing murder charges in connection with the death of a North Carolina woman.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
On Thursday, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina arrested and charged Zachary William Ramey, 35, of Blairsville, Georgia first-degree murder and concealment of death.
The charges stem from the disappearance and death of Candice Aufrecht, a Lincoln County woman.
The investigation into Aufrecht’s disappearance was initially conducted by the Lincolnton Police Department, which lasted until her remains were found in February 2025, according to our sister station, WSOC-TV.
TRENDING STORIES:
An autopsy confirmed that Aufrecht’s death was a homicide, leading to further investigation by the Gaston County Police Department.
Following the discovery of Aufrecht’s remains, the homicide investigation was transferred to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives from Lincoln County, in collaboration with Gaston County police, conducted numerous interviews and searches, collecting evidence from multiple locations, WSOC-TV reports.
Detectives traveled across North Carolina and into South Carolina and Georgia, following leads and conducting interviews.
On July 2, they obtained a warrant for Ramey related to a weapons violation from 2023, leading to his extradition from Georgia to Lincoln County.
According to WSOC-TV, while Ramey was in custody, detectives continued to develop leads and gather information, culminating in the additional charges of first-degree murder and concealment of death on Thursday. The arrest was the result of combined efforts from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Gaston County Police, North Carolina SBI, and Lincolnton Police Department.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Ramey is currently being held without bond at the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center.
RELATED VIDEO: