Gwinnett Police arrest Amy McGarity in cold case murder

A 27-year-old woman allegedly pistol-whipped and strangled her 20-year-old friend, before dumping her body in the bathroom of an abandoned park.

Amy McGarity has been charged with murdering Kayla Weil one year after the victim's remains were discovered wrapped in a blanket in Chestnut Ridge Park in Hall County, Georgia.

As well as malice and felony murder, she has been accused of kidnapping, false imprisonment, two counts of aggravated assault and concealing a death.

According to an arrest warrant, McGarity helped kidnap and detain Miss Weil, from Flowery Branch, against her will from July 17, 2013 to August 4, 2013.

During this time, she allegedly struck the victim in the head repeatedly with a pistol, before fatally strangling her with an Etheet cable, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post. 

She then reportedly put Miss Weil's body in the trunk of a car, before driving it several miles to a closed area of the park, which is property of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and dumping it.

Miss Weil, whose heavily decomposed remains were found by a cleaning crew on October 24, 2013, is believed to have been murdered at a house on Cloud Street in Buford.

McGarity, who lived at the property at the time, was 'close friends' with the victim, Gwinnett County's Corporal Ed Ritter told WBS Radio. 

However, the motive behind the murder remains unclear and it is not known if any other suspects were involved.

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Scene: Miss Weil, whose heavily decomposed remains were discovered by a cleaning crew in Chestnut Ridge Park on October 24, 2013, is believed to have been murdered at a house on Cloud Street (pictured) in Buford

Corporal Jake Smith said his department took over the investigation in June this year after the location of the murder was uncovered.

But he said he would not release any further information on the case as Miss Weil's death is still under investigation.

McGarity was already in Gwinnett County jail on other accusations - including drug posession with the intent to distribute - when she was charged with the murder of Miss Weil.

She is being held without bond and is due to appear for a preliminary hearing on Friday.