According to a statement issued by Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver – investigators with the sheriff’s office have closed a 2013 murder investigation involving the apparent shooting death of 52 year old Vincent Hughes of Chattooga County, Georgia.  According to Chief Investigator Josh Summerford the suspected murder had occurred in the Cloudland area of northern Cherokee County on County Road 103 in April of that year (2013).

Those taking part in the investigation in addition to the Sheriff’s Office included the District Attorney’s Office, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and JSU Center for Applied Forensics  District Attorney Mike O’Dell stated “Investigators never gave up on this murder case and gave me periodic updates.  Upon notification the suspect had died from an apparent suicide in Georgia, prosecution was no longer possible, thus closing the case.”

Sheriff Shaver added that he hoped the official closing of the case would provide the family with some closure and help them heal.