The tragic discovery of two deceased Georgia firefighters in Tennessee was announced by authorities over the weekend. The Hinesville Police Department in Georgia confirmed that the bodies of Raegan Leigh Anderson and Chandler Kuhbander were found in Cocke County, Tennessee, approximately 230 miles east of Nashville and 400 miles southeast of Hinesville.
The search for the missing firefighters also led to the recovery of Anderson’s black 2017 Ford Focus. The vehicle had been a key part of the investigation, with police releasing a photo of it earlier in the week as they updated the public on the search efforts for Anderson and Kuhbander.
The scene where the bodies were found is currently under investigation by Tennessee law enforcement. However, specific details about the case remain limited. The Hinesville police department has directed all inquiries to the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. The department also expressed its deepest condolences to the Anderson and Kuhbander families during this difficult time.
According to a report from Savannah CBS affiliate WTOC, Anderson and Kuhbander had been in a romantic relationship for several years before recently parting ways. Prior to their disappearance, the pair had a public altercation at a restaurant.
The police report of the incident, which took place on June 22 at an Olive Garden in Pooler, Georgia, stated that Anderson had caused a disturbance while Kuhbander was on a date. Anderson was subsequently charged with second-degree criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct after allegedly keying Kuhbander’s vehicle.
Kuhbander’s mother told Savannah ABC affiliate WJCL that she had spoken to her son on June 24, and he mentioned that Anderson had been persistently contacting him. Surveillance footage from the morning of June 24 showed Kuhbander leaving a Crunch Fitness at a mall in Oglethorpe, with Anderson’s car seen slowly driving around the mall parking lot.
Authorities also revealed that during a wellness check at Anderson’s home on Tuesday, they found the house unlocked and a note suggesting that Anderson might harm herself.
Both Anderson and Kuhbander were employed by Liberty County Fire Services Station #1 in Midway, Georgia. Anderson, a lieutenant, was last seen at the station, while Kuhbander, a senior firefighter, was last seen leaving a local gym early on June 25. The Liberty County Fire Services expressed their condolences in a Facebook post, praising the dedication of the two firefighters to their community.