A grandmother vanished two years ago in North Carolina. A pet duck found her body.
Detectives located the body of a grandmother who vanished in North Carolina two years ago after a pet duck helped crack the case.
Nellie Sullivan's body was found earlier this month by law enforcement, according to a Facebook post from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Mark Walker told ABC 13 a pet duck led them to her body.
“Apparently, the duck ran underneath the trailer at 11 Beady Eyed Lane, and as they were chasing after their pet duck, they ran across the container that Nellie Sullivan was located in,” Walker told the outlet. “If I could give that duck a medal, I would.”
Mark Barnes and Angela Wamsley, Sullivan’s granddaughter, were charged with first-degree murder, according to the Facebook post.
What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
'This is a tragedy': Missing New Hampshire couple found fatally shot days after going for a walk in hiking area
An investigation into Sullivan’s whereabouts opened in December 2020, and Barnes and Wamsley were taken into custody. At that time they faced charges unrelated to the case.
A year later they were charged with concealing a death, and in April they were charged with first-degree murder after Sullivan’s body was found, according to the Facebook post.
Walker told ABC 13 that Wamsley and Barnes continued to collect Sullivan’s Social Security and retirement benefits while also filling her prescriptions.
“Instead of receiving the care she needed from those that are supposed to love her the most, she received the exact opposite in the worst possible way,” he told the outlet.
Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com.