Woman Found Dead in Lake Chatuge, GBI Assisting Investigation

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting authorities in the investigation into the death of a North Carolina woman who was found in Lake Chatuge over the weekend.

According to investigators, 59-year-old Shelley Lynn Dietrich of Murphy, North Carolina, was discovered deceased in the water near the end of a dock at Marina Station on Lake Chatuge.

Authorities said Towns County 911 received a call from a boater at approximately 10:50 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2026, reporting that a woman had been found in the water.

Deputies with the Towns County Sheriff’s Office and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, where the woman was later identified as Dietrich.

Officials said Dietrich’s body will be transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.

The Towns County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the GBI in the investigation. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is also assisting with the case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Field Office in Cleveland at 706-348-4866. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. The agent in charge is Kim Williams.