'Didn't want it to be her:' Investigator describes moment she knew remains were missing 16-year-old

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators are presenting emotional testimony at the Gwinnett County courthouse in the case of a former Doraville police officer accused of killing a 16-year-old Gwinnett County girl.

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Susana Morales vanished from Norcross in July 2022. Her body was found in a wooded area of Barrow County seven months later. A former Doraville police officer, Miles Bryant, has been arrested and charged in her kidnapping and murder.

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On Monday, jurors listened to investigators’ interviews with former officer Miles Bryant, who was questioned shortly after Morales’ body was found.

“I had nothing to do with this though,” Bryant said during the police interview. Jurors are still listening to that video, which is nearly four hours long.

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Channel 2′s Candace McCowan is covering the trial live was also in the courtroom when lead investigator Angela Carter talked about the day Morales’ body was found.

“The next morning they said that they located hair that was two-toned, the black and the blonde,” Carter said. “Sorry, whew, I really didn’t want it to be her... And that it was curly and I knew that was consistent with Susana’s hair.”

Carter described how investigators were able to quickly identify Bryant as a suspect.

“When they did the grid search out there, I was advised that they located the firearm that had been reported stolen hours after she was killed. I reviewed that report and began looking into Miles Bryant, who reported the gun stolen,” Carter said.

Cell phone records from Bryant’s work phone also played a pivotal role in the investigation.

“His phone was in the woodline a few hours after Susana was last seen on camera, specifically in the woodline where her body was located,” Carter said.

Testimony continued Monday afternoon.

Testimony continues in trial of ex-officer accused of murdering teen

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