The Cherokee County Major Crimes Task Force is investigating a murder – after body parts were reportedly found scattered along portions of County Road 82, in the Unity community of Cedar Bluff on Sunday where they had apparently been thrown from an automobile.

According to family members, the victim is identified as Cedar Bluff resident Leroy Pete Foster who had been missing from his residence since last Monday (March 23). Forensic Identification is not complete but will be forthcoming.According to reports it is believed that Foster was last seen with the suspect in the case, Terry Lee McKinney.

Investigators have spent numerous hours searching an area near the Unity Baptist Church for body parts and other evidence. 

 Cherokee County Coroner Jeremy Deaton has sent the evidence to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for DNA identification.

Deaton told WEIS Radio News on Tuesday morning that DNA samples have been taken from family members of a man listed as missing from the Cedar Bluff area, in an effort to positively identify the remains found in the search.  He also informed us that autopsy results could take up to two weeks.

According to Sheriff Jeff Shaver, Terry Lee McKinney, age 63 of Cedar Bluff, has been arrested and charged with murder, and is currently in the Cherokee County Detention Center. On Tuesday Cherokee County District Court Judge Wes Mobley set bond for McKinney at one million dollars.

As of Tuesday afternoon the sheriff has not disclosed at this time where the murder occurred – or a possible motive for the crime.  No additional information is being released at this time.

That case remains under investigation by the Cherokee County Major Crimes Unit – which is made up of investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar Bluff Police, the Leesburg Police Department, Centre PD, and the District Attorney’s Office.

The JSU Centre for Applied Science Team assisted in the investigation.