Jury returns verdict for granddaughter accused of murder in Valdosta

VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - A jury has returned a not guilty verdict in a Valdosta murder trial.

Around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, District Attorney Brad Shealy said Amy Auve was found not guilty in the 2017 death of her grandmother, Carmen Colorado. 

Originally, Colorado's death appeared to be due to natural causes. But Lowndes County Coroner Austin Fiveash had suspicions and began investigating.

Detectives with the Valdosta Police Department also began their investigation, which took months and spread to multiple states.

After gathering evidence and giving it to the district attorney, it was presented to a grand jury.

In January, a Lowndes County grand jury indicted Auve, Colorado's estranged granddaughter, who was living in Texas.

At the end of January, Valdosta detectives went to Texas to arrest Auve and she was brought back to Georgia to stand trial for murder. 

Brad Shealy, the district attorney representing Colorado, believes the evidence shown by the state medical examiner proves Colorado died from strangulation.

But, after more than a year of investigating, the case is now closed.

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