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CRIME

Missing Tennessee mother's body found, 2 men charged with abuse of corpse, investigators say

By Talia Kaplan Fox News
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The body of a Tennessee mother who was reported missing nearly two weeks ago was discovered on Wednesday and two men were charged with abuse of a corpse.

Carolyn Pope’s body turned up near power lines in Hickman County, Tenn., which is about an hour from Nashville, a news release from the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office said.

A tip led investigators to the 30-year-old mother, WKRN-TV reported, citing Hickman County Sheriff Randal Ward. Her body reportedly was found wrapped in a blanket, under a plastic sheet and debris in a gully near a heavily wooded area.

Carolyn Pope’s body was found in Hickman County, Tenn., a news release from the sheriff’s office said.

Carolyn Pope’s body was found in Hickman County, Tenn., a news release from the sheriff’s office said. (Carolyn Pope/Facebook)

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“You know we were all praying for a miracle, that she was going to come home. You know that we were going to find her, that she was going to be OK. You know everybody was looking for her, everybody missed her. It’s just heartbreaking,” Pope’s sister-in-law Mary Gonzalez said. “She was a good person. It’s a tragedy what happened.”

Warrants for Christopher Hall, left, and Mitchell Hinderliter were issued, the office added.

Warrants for Christopher Hall, left, and Mitchell Hinderliter were issued, the office added. (Hickman County Sheriff’s Office)

Pope lived in Fairview, about a half-hour from Nashville, with her grandmother and 5-year-old daughter.

Pope’s grandmother filed a missing person report on Oct. 13, the sheriff’s news release said, adding that she was last seen at a home the day before. Since then, the sheriff’s office and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted several search warrants at different homes, on multiple phones and vehicles.

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Warrants for Mitchell Hinderliter and Christopher Hall, both of whom were in jail on unrelated charges, were written for abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and false reports, the sheriff’s office added.

It was unclear what possible ties the men may have had to Pope. Her car reportedly was recovered on Hinderliter’s property during the investigation.

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“Her 5-year-old is going to take it really hard. I mean her mom was her superhero, she was her superwoman,” Gonzalez reportedly said. “She would do anything for her. She’s been wondering where she is at, will she ever come home, when she’s going to see her or talk to her and it’s heartbreaking that she has to go through this. It’s heartbreaking that she’s going to grow up not knowing her, you know, only having the memories.”

The investigation was ongoing and more charges connected to Pope’s death were expected after the final report from the medical examiner, the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office said.