What did Amanda Bearden do? Criminal record explored as cops reveal slain mom Debbie Collier’s daughter has history of arrests

Debbie Collier
Debbie Collier's gruesome death remains a mystery (Images via Twitter)

On September 11, 2022, 59-year-old Debbie Collier was found dead in a ravine in a forested area near the U.S. 441 highway in Habersham County, northern Georgia. Collier was reported missing on September 10, 2022, after her daughter Amanda Bearden received a suspicious message from her, along with a substantial amount of money.

Police are yet to make any arrests with regards to the Georgia resident's death. However, Bearden's boyfriend told The Post that Collier's family members are allegedly being treated as suspects.

Court documents and police reports obtained by The Post also showed Bearden's long criminal history. The 37-year-old's history revealed an arrest for battery, faking a drug test and domestic violence.


Debbie Collier's daughter's history with the police

Debbie Collier's daughter's most recent encounter with the law was in May 2021 when she falsely accused her boyfriend of breaking into her house and attacking her. Police reports stated that she backed up her claims by showing officers bruises onher shoulders and arms.

However, as the investigation went ahead, the Athens-Clark County police found that Bearden and her boyfriend Andrew Tyler Giergerich lived together. While Bearden was arrested for falsely reporting a robbery, Andrew was arrested for battery.

Bearden was previously arrested in 2008 and 2012 for getting into arguments with her boyfriends both times. Her 2008 charges were dropped, but in 2012, she faced multiple charges. This included misdemeanor battery, simple battery, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. While she pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charges, the rest of the charges were dropped in November of the same year.

She was sentenced to 12 months of probation, which she broke in 2013 by attempting to "provide a fraudulent sample” during a drug test. This led to her being sentenced to a further 30 days of imprisonment.

Amanda Bearden apparently maintained a good relationship with her mother, Debbie Collier, and stepfather, Steve Collier.


Debbie Collier's mysterious disappearance & death of leaves police confused

On September 10, Debbie Collier left her Athens home in a rented car as her car was in a repair shop, with only her debit card and her driver's license. That was the last time her family saw her again. Around 3:15 pm, her daughter received some money and a terrifying text from her mother, that read:

"They are not going to let me go, love you."

It also informed Amanda of the whereabouts of the key to the house. According to Bearden, she tried to contact her mother after receiving the message but to no avail. It was then that a missing person's report was filed.

Debbie Collier's vehicle was tracked by satellite radio and her body was found 60 miles away in Habersham County. Habersham County police were informed and a search led a K-9 unit to a wooded area where they found Collier's naked and partially burnt body. According to police, her right hand was still clutching a small tree.

On Wednesday, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office stated that they were ruling out a suicide or kidnapping due to lack of evidence pointing in that direction. Debbie Collier's death was a homicide, though the motive remains unknown.

John Kelly, a criminal profiler and psychotherapist, told Fox News Digital that he has reason to believe that the murder could be the work of a repeat s*x offender or a serial killer just starting off. He said:

"This has all the signs of a s*xual attack with volcanic rage. I have to think he was trying to cover his DNA...Why you gotta burn her? The burning is important to us. Is it a signature? Are we gonna see more of that?...Do we have a budding serial killer on our hands?"

No suspects have been named yet.

Anyone with any information regarding Debbie Collier's death is asked to get in touch with the Habersham County Sheriff's Office.

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Edited by Madhur Dave
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