Hearings are scheduled to get under later this month for murder suspect Terry Lee KcKinney who stands accused of brutally murdering a man in Cedar Bluff back in March    and then scattering his body parts along the side of County Road 82 in the Unity Community.

According to Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver – the first hearing in that case is scheduled for April 23.

Official DNA Identification on the victim has still not been fully completed at this time and according to Cherokee County Coroner Jeremy Deaton it could take quite some time, Deaton said that they are using hair follicles from the home of the presumed victim and his mother in an attempt to confirm the man’s identity.

According to the Coroner, he was called to the scene at around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 29th – where multiple plastic bags were found containing human remains, the bags were found in separate locations approximately 150 yards apart.

Investigators searched the home of McKinney that day where evidence was obtained which lead to him being arrested and charged with murder.

According to family members, the victim is identified as Cedar Bluff resident Leroy Pete Foster who had been missing from his residence since Monday (March 23) – it is believed that Foster was last seen with Terry Lee McKinney.

McKinney was moved from the Cherokee County Detention Center to the Etowah County Detention Center on April 3rd due to the fact that he is wheelchair bound and requires special medical attention.

A Canine Team from the FBI Headquarters in Quantico, Virginia has also been called in to aide in the search for additional remains.

The case remains under investigation by the Cherokee County Major Crimes Unit.

(Information provided in part by Scott Wright at The Post Paper)