This story was updated Jan. 17 to correct that the suspect called his own relatives, not those of the victim.

David Ryan Walker

Candace Hankins

A man has been charged with killing his girlfriend and then dumping her body in the woods near the house where they lived just outside Lafayette, Ga., according to Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson.

The victim has been identified as 29-year-old Candace Ann Hankins. Wilson said David Ryan Walker, also 29, has been charged with murder and is being held at the Walker County Jail.

Wilson said Walker called his relatives Sunday, expressing remorse. When some of them came to the house on Wheeler Road, he asked them to help him dispose of the body, the sheriff told reporters, but they refused and instead called authorities about 7:25 Sunday evening. "They did the right thing, they backed off and left and called the authorities," Wilson said.

Sheriff's office investigators and crime scene investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation were at the Wheeler Road residence Sunday evening and throughout the day Monday, Wilson said.

Authorities believe the killing took place inside the house and that Walker then wrapped Hankins' body in a blanket and dragged it into the woods about 75 yards from the house, Wilson said.

The cause of death appeared to be blunt-force trauma. Wilson said he did not know of a possible motive.

According to a resume posted online, Hankins had been studying at UTC to become a legal assistant but was not currently enrolled. She had lost custody of her child in a bitter divorce several years ago, and both her parents died in the past year.

"Candace loved her family and her son very much, and she was working hard to try to provide for them and she really didn't deserve anything like this," said attorney Jason Fisher, who handled Hankins' divorce case.

Wilson said authorities had visited the Wheeler Road home on several previous occasions for investigations into possible drug use or domestic violence.

He said Walker did not appear to be intoxicated when he was arrested. A sample of his blood was collected to be examined for possible drug use, Wilson said.

He described the suspect's demeanor as "somewhat peculiar," saying Walker was very calm.

"You would think that a murder suspect would be somewhat nervous or apprehensive," Wilson said. "He was very calm, he answered the deputy's questions and did not resist in any way."

A video of the sheriff's remarks was posted on WTVC-TV's Facebook page.

Contact staff writer Steve Johnson, 423-757-6673, sjohnson@timesfreepress.com, on Twitter @stevejohnsonTFP, and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/noogahealth.

This is a developing story. Stay with the Times Free Press as more information becomes available.