Woman Found Dead At Cummins Falls Was Assisting With Search Efforts

Jackson County officials have confirmed that a woman found dead at Cummins Falls yesterday was assisting with the search for a missing 73-year-old woman.

Jackson County EMA Director Keith Bean told News Talk 94.1 that 45-year-old Lisa Michelle Tufts-Hillian had came from Hamilton County to assist with the ongoing search for Peggy McDaniel. Bean said Tufts-Hillian was not a part of his search team.

“She come in on her own after we had all left and discontinued the searches for that night,” Bean said. “That’s why she was unaccounted for because she was not there when the initial incident had happened. She just come in on her own and went into the park”

Bean said the gates were actually locked at the park and authorities found her vehicle in a parking lot close by to the park.