Police arrest murder suspect after missing Northern California woman’s remains found
Authorities have captured a man suspected of killing a 27-year-old woman who had been missing for three months before her remains were found several days ago in Amador County.
Officers found Jerry Lee Adams Jr., 44, of Pine Grove at Reno-area casino and arrested him on suspicion of murder in the death Savana Lee Burger, also of Pine Grove, the Amador County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.
On Thursday, the Sheriff’s Office asked the public to help find Adams. The Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, with help from patrol deputies and investigators, went looking for Adams on Wednesday along Climax Road near Pioneer Drive but did not find him, sheriff’s officials said.
Shortly after asking for the public’s help, sheriff’s detectives began following-up on leads on Adams’ whereabouts. Based on information they received, the detectives that Adams could be in the Reno-area. That information was relayed to the Reno Police Department, which quickly began searching for Adams, sheriff’s officials said.
About 2 p.m. Friday, the officers found Adams in the casino and took him into custody. Sheriff’s officials said Adams will remain in custody in Washoe County, where he will await extradition to Amador County.
Burger’s mother reported her daughter missing on Oct. 23. Sheriff’s deputies launched an investigation and began searching for her. Her mother was concerned because her daughter missed an important court date, sheriff’s officials said.
Investigators used cell phone data, and they determined Burger’s last known whereabouts was in the area of West Point. The sheriff’s Investigations Bureau took over the missing person case and continued to follow leads into her disappearance.
Sheriff’s investigators and the county’s Search and Rescue Team gathered evidence from several locations in and around West Point. On Jan. 16, the investigators and crime scene technicians searched an area near West Point with help from the Search and Rescue Team.
Authorities found human remains along with other evidence during the search. Calaveras and Placer county sheriff’s officials and search and rescue personnel, along with cadaver dog teams and search dog teams helped Amador officials during the search last weekend.
Authorities identified Burger’s remains through rapid DNA testing. Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Adams on Tuesday.
