The death of two stepsisters, whose bodies were recovered underneath a bridge in Rome, Georgia, have been ruled a homicide, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed on Thursday.
Authorities recovered the bodies of 19-year-old Vanita Richardson and 31-year-old Truvenia Clarece Campbell, both from Rome, on Wednesday, May 13. They were found under Etowah Bridge at Loop 1, 11alive reports.
A family friend told the news site that the two were stepsisters.
It is still not clear how the stepsisters died, as the GBI has declined to offer further details about the cause of death. It is also not clear how long the victims had been under the bridge.
Investigators are now looking for a Gold 1997 Toyota Corolla with the Georgia license plate RTJ6295, which belonged to Richardson.
“The investigation has shown that both [Richardson and Campbell] were in this vehicle during the evening hours of Tuesday, May 12, 2020,” the press release from the GBI noted. “The vehicle’s location is not known at this time but investigators believe that it could be somewhere in the Metro Atlanta area.”
Richardson was scheduled to graduate from Armuchee High school next Saturday.
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the news of the death of one of our students, Vanita Richardson, who was scheduled to graduate next Saturday,” Floyd County Schools said in a statement. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the Armuchee Community and her friends and family at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Vanita will be remembered for being a fun-loving, humble and motivated student who was making strong plans for her future.”
Anyone with information concerning Richardson’s vehicle or the investigation is being asked to contact the GBI tip line at 800-597-8477.