GBI Arrests Suspect in Death of Missing Dawson County Woman

CUMMING, Ga. — A man has been arrested and charged with malice murder in connection with the death of a Dawson County woman whose body was discovered last month, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Loron Spaulding, 35, of Gainesville, has been charged in the death of 30-year-old Diaja Benson of Dawsonville. Authorities said the Cumming Police Department requested the GBI to assist with the investigation.

Benson had been reported missing on February 20, 2026, in Dawson County. On March 13, law enforcement agencies, including the GBI, Cumming Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, located her body near Lanier 400 Parkway in Cumming.

Spaulding was taken into custody in New Jersey by the U.S. Marshals Service. He is currently being held there and is awaiting extradition to Georgia, where he will be booked into the Forsyth County Jail.

Officials said the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office remained actively involved throughout the investigation, working alongside local, state, and federal partners as leads extended beyond county lines.

“This case hits close to home and serves as a reminder to hold your loved ones close,” said Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson. “I’m proud of the hard work our deputies put in as they worked to find Diaja and bring her killer to justice.”

The investigation remains ongoing.