Dalton Woman Found Dead in House Fire; Suspect Dies After Multi-State Chase and Crash

DALTON, Georgia – On Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 5:47 a.m., the Dalton Fire Department responded to a house fire at 313 S. Grimes Street in Dalton.

While searching the structure, firefighters discovered the badly burned body of 35-year-old Crystal Scotten of Dalton inside the home. Because of the suspicious nature of the death, the Dalton Police Department, the Whitfield County Coroner’s Office, and the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office were called to assist. Police secured the scene and launched a criminal investigation.

Shortly after authorities arrived, a woman contacted police to report that her brother had told her he had killed his girlfriend at the Grimes Street residence. She requested a welfare check on the home. Investigators had already identified the man, 30-year-old Ryan Ebler of Martinsville, Indiana, as a person of interest. Scotten’s vehicle was missing from the scene and was entered into a national database as stolen.

At approximately 9:16 a.m. EST, troopers with the Kentucky State Police Post 7 in Richmond were dispatched to locate Ebler, who was wanted for murder in Dalton. Troopers, along with officers from the Berea Police Department, attempted a traffic stop on a gray Honda Civic matching the stolen vehicle’s description.

The vehicle failed to stop, and Ebler led authorities on a high-speed pursuit northbound on Interstate 75, reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour. The chase continued westbound on Interstate 64 into Franklin County, where additional troopers joined in. Authorities deployed tire deflation devices multiple times in an effort to end the pursuit.

Near the 50-mile marker on I-64, Ebler crossed the median into oncoming traffic and struck a commercial motor vehicle traveling eastbound. The truck driver, 50-year-old Marcus Boughten of Waco, Texas, was not injured. Ebler was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Franklin County Coroner.

Court records show Ebler had been charged in August 2024 in Morgan County, Indiana, with unlawful possession of a firearm by an extremely serious violent felon. He also had a history of domestic violence charges, including strangulation and aggravated domestic battery. Despite being classified as a serious violent offender, Ebler was granted pretrial release and ordered not to leave the state while awaiting trial. Records indicate he was not placed on home detention or a GPS monitoring device.

Investigators believe Ebler fled Indiana and traveled to Georgia, where Scotten was killed. The investigation into Scotten’s death remains ongoing.