Colbert County sheriff speaks on woman’s identified remains; murder investigation underway (2024)

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The National Weather Service in Huntsville Alabama has issued a* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...Western Madison County in north central Alabama...Southeastern Limestone County in north central Alabama...Northwestern Cullman County in north central Alabama...Eastern Franklin County in northwestern Alabama...Morgan County in north central Alabama...Lawrence County in northwestern Alabama...* Until 315 AM CDT.* At 240 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 10 miles west ofMoulton, moving east at 45 mph.HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.SOURCE...Radar indicated.IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damageto roofs, siding, and trees.* Locations impacted include...Huntsville, Decatur, Madison, Athens, Hartselle, Russellville,Moulton, Redstone Arsenal, Meridianville, and Priceville.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quicklyfrom severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into thebasem*nt or small central room in a sturdy structure.For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of abuilding.A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 500 AM CDT for MiddleTennessee. A Tornado Watch also remains in effect until 800 AM CDTfor north central, northeastern and northwestern Alabama.&&TORNADO...POSSIBLE;HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED;MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN;WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED;MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

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...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 AM CDTFOR JACKSON...NORTHEASTERN MADISON...NORTHEASTERN DEKALB...SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN AND SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES...At 237 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 9 miles northeast ofSkyline, or 16 miles west of Bridgeport, moving east at 50 mph.HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.SOURCE...Radar indicated.IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect haildamage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect winddamage to roofs, siding, and trees.Locations impacted include...Scottsboro, Bridgeport, Henagar, Stevenson, Sylvania, Hollywood,Huntland, Skyline, Gurley, and Ider.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 500 AM CDT for MiddleTennessee. A Tornado Watch also remains in effect until 800 AM CDTfor north central and northeastern Alabama.Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quicklyfrom severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into thebasem*nt or small central room in a sturdy structure.For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of abuilding.&&TORNADO...POSSIBLE;THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE;HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED;MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN;WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED;MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

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...AIRPORT WEATHER WARNING...The National Weather Service in Huntsville Alabama has issued anAirport Weather Warning for...Huntsville International Airport /HSV/.* Until 430 AM CDT.The following weather hazard(s) is expected:* Wind gusts 25 knots or higher.* Cloud to ground lightning within 5 nm of the airport.

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THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 330 INEFFECT UNTIL 8 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREASIN ALABAMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 11 COUNTIESIN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMACULLMAN LIMESTONE MADISONMORGANIN NORTHEAST ALABAMADEKALB JACKSON MARSHALLIN NORTHWEST ALABAMACOLBERT FRANKLIN AL LAUDERDALELAWRENCETHIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ALBERTVILLE, ARAB, ATHENS, BOAZ,CULLMAN, DECATUR, FLORENCE, FORT PAYNE, GUNTERSVILLE, HUNTSVILLE,MOULTON, MUSCLE SHOALS, RAINSVILLE, RED BAY, RUSSELLVILLE,SCOTTSBORO, SHEFFIELD, TOWN CREEK, AND TUSCUMBIA.

By Maddie McCaffrey
Maddie McCaffrey
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Maddie McCaffrey was born and raised in Atlanta and is a proud 2023 graduate of the University of Georgia’s Grady school of Journalism.

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May 20, 2024
May 20, 2024 Updated May 21, 2024
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Colbert County sheriff speaks on woman’s identified remains; murder investigation underway (4)

Colbert County sheriff speaks on woman’s identified remains; murder investigation underway (5)

A Shoals family finally has closure. The Colbert County Sheriff’s Office says the remains discovered back in November of 2020 on Jarmon Lane have been positively identified as Courtney Staggs.

Courtney Staggs was last seen four years ago, leaving the area of Irvine Street in Florence less than 20 miles away from where her remains were discovered.

The sheriff spoke in detail Monday about how important it is that they've finally identified Staggs' remains.

Sheriff Eric Balentine says he and his investigators are very thankful her remains were identified. The sheriff says her remains were sent off to the FBI in Quantico.

And the FBI called him Monday, giving them the news—something Balentine says his investigators and, more importantly, the family of Staggs have been desperately waiting on for years.

Balentine said, “You know, that's really a long time for me. And you can imagine what it's like for the family. That sitting there and trying to bring some closure and try to have a proper burial, and they always think that there's a possibility that their loved one’s out there somewhere, and we didn't give up that hope. But you know, unfortunately, their loved one is deceased. Today is a good day. It's bittersweet...but this does allow us to move forward, bring these people to justice, and find out what happened to Miss Staggs.”

Balentine describes the pain the Staggs family has gone through as excruciating. He says their investigators are now working to piece together what happened to Courtney. So justice can be served.

Balentine said, “We do have some persons of interest that we are going to speak to very soon. But now that we have this positive ID, we can create a better timeline, and this is something we’re going to start working on immediately. We’re just glad we got a positive ID and got the family some closure they deserved.”

Balentine says they will be working to determine exactly the cause of the death of Courtney Staggs. He says he believes she was killed, and this will be treated as a murder investigation.

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