The remains of a Morristown woman who has been missing for more than two years were found Wednesday by two men hunting mushrooms in rural Grainger County, according to the Morristown Police Department.
Inesha Haygood was reported missing by her family on January 5, 2016. She was last seen walking from her home on December 28, 2015, with an unknown man. Haygood was 24 years old at the time.
Brenda Haygood, Inesha's mother, said Thursday she had carried some hope her daughter would be found alive.
"There was some hope, so there's no hope left now," she said.
Brenda Haygood said the family plans to have a memorial for Inesha soon.
"It gives us closure," she said. "It wasn't the closure we were hoping for, but they found her, so we can lay her to rest and have some peace now."
Brenda Haygood said she takes comfort in Inesha's 9-year-old daughter.
"She keeps me going. She's her momma made over, so I've got that. I've got a piece of her," she said.
Multiple searches have been held for Haygood over the past two years.
Officials said her remains were found by the two men in a rural part of Grainger County on Wednesday.
Her body was identified by using dental records, police said.
Haygood's boyfriend Simeon Mendoza was arrested in April 2016 on a charge of "false reports" for allegedly lying about her whereabouts. Asked on Thursday whether Mendoza was facing any additional charges in the case, a Morristown Police spokesperson said, "The investigation is still ongoing. At this time, we cannot rule out the possibility of additional charges."
MPD is still investigating Haygood's disappearance. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call MPD at 423-585-2701.