Missing Georgia Mother Found Dead After Weeks-Long Search

A Georgia Woman Reported Missing in February Was Found Dead in the Woods.

Diaja Benson, 30, of Dawsonville, Georgia, was found dead in a wooded area of Forsyth County on March 13, 2026, more than three weeks after she was reported missing, and the man investigators charged with her murder - Loron Spaulding, 35 - was apprehended by U.S. Marshals in New Jersey, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Benson had last been seen and was reported missing in Dawson County on February 20, 2026. GBI agents, along with investigators from multiple local agencies, spent weeks searching for her before her body was located near Lanier 400 Parkway in Cumming, Georgia, in the Forsyth County woods. Her discovery came on a day that carried additional devastation for her family: it was her daughter’s birthday.

Who Was Diaja Benson

Diaja Benson was 30 years old and a mother with ties to the Dawsonville community in north Georgia. She was reported missing after family members or associates lost contact with her on February 20. The weeks between her disappearance and the discovery of her body were marked by an active search effort involving multiple agencies.

Her body was identified after it was recovered near a parkway in Cumming. The GBI’s Investigative Division led the identification effort in coordination with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office. Cause of death has not been publicly released as of available reporting.

The Search and the Discovery

The investigation into Benson’s disappearance involved the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Cumming Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The multi-agency effort reflected the complexity of tracking a missing person across county lines.

On March 13, investigators located Benson’s body near Lanier 400 Parkway in Cumming, Georgia. That she was found in a wooded area - far from where she was last known to be - indicated she had not simply wandered or been involved in an accident. GBI opened a homicide investigation.

The Suspect: Loron Spaulding

Loron Spaulding, 35, was charged with malice murder in connection with Benson’s death. Investigators traced him to New Jersey following the discovery of the body. U.S. Marshals arrested Spaulding in New Jersey and he was being held pending extradition to Georgia, where he faces trial in Forsyth County.

The GBI announced Spaulding’s arrest on April 3, 2026. No further details about the nature of Spaulding’s relationship to Benson or the circumstances of the killing were publicly released by investigators at the time of this reporting.

A Daughter’s Birthday, a Mother’s Loss

The discovery of Benson’s body on her daughter’s birthday added an unbearable dimension to the grief her family has carried since February. The convergence of the two events - a child’s birthday and the confirmation of her mother’s death - is a detail that has stayed with those who followed the case.

Benson’s family has not made extended public statements in available reporting. Those who knew her have described her as a mother whose loss has been deeply felt in the Dawsonville area.

Extradition and What Comes Next

Spaulding was held in New Jersey awaiting extradition to Georgia as of the most recent available reporting in early April 2026. His current custody status and extradition proceedings had not been updated in available reporting at the time of this article. Once returned to Georgia, he will face the malice murder charge in Forsyth County.

Malice murder under Georgia law requires proof that the defendant killed with intent and with malice - express or implied. It is the most serious homicide charge in the Georgia criminal code. Spaulding has not been convicted and is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

References: GBI: Murder Suspect Arrested in New Jersey Weeks After Missing Woman Found Dead in Forsyth County | Man Arrested in New Jersey After Missing Woman’s Body Discovered in Georgia Woods, GBI Says