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Press Release
Follow–up on Death Investigation

Canton, Cherokee County, Ga. September 15, 2006. The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office received information that a female’s body was located in a car in a heavily wooded area near Upper Sweetwater Road off Highway. 20 in west Cherokee County. Sheriff’s Office investigators located a blue late model Kia along a logging road near 5:00 p.m. The vehicle’s trunk contained the body of a female identified as: Avnita Ghuman 21 years of age from Roswell,Ga also a Kennesaw University student. Subsequent investigation failed to reveal an obvious cause of death due to the suspicious nature of the death.. The body was sent to the G.B.I. Crime Lab for autopsy.

Investigation revealed that Ms. Ghuman’s death occurred at Park Ridge Apartments in Acworth. Eric Martinez and Alan Whitman removed Ms. Ghuman’s body from the apartment – placing her body in the trunk of her vehicle. The two then transported the body to the area of Upper Sweetwater Rd. Cherokee Sheriff’s Office detectives, along with detectives from Acworth Police arrested the following individuals in connection with the death of Ms. Ghuman:

Eric Robert Martinez- 20 years of age of Acworth, Ga. Martinez is charged with: Tampering with Evidence; Concealing a death; and Improper Disposal of a Body- Bond amount: $16,800.00; and

Alan Bryant Whitman- 21 years of age of Acworth , Ga. Whitman is charged with: Tampering with Evidence; Concealing a death; and Improper Disposal of a Body – Bond amount: $16,800.00 Both face additional charges with Acworth Police and are being held at the Cherokee Adult Detention Center.

Acworth Police is conducting the investigation concerning the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Ghuman while Cherokee Sheriff’s Office is assisting Acworth Police and conducting the investigation concerning the discovery of the victim’s body.

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