"Justice has prevailed," said Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson during a press conference this afternoon to announce that the remains of missing Walker County 911 dispatcher Theresa Parker have been found. "The almighty has looked down and for whatever reason, prayers have been answered."

Parker disappeared in 2007 and a jury last year convicted her husband, former LaFayette police officer Sam Parker, in her murder. He is serving a life prison sentence.

The remains were found Monday about 100 feet from the Chattooga River in the Holland community near the state border with Alabama.

Floyd County District Attorney Leigh Patterson prosecuted the case against Sam Parker. "Part of his defense was that she was not dead, that she went to Mexico and ran away. She would have never put her family through that turmoil."

Jerry Scott of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the discovery of the body would give the family closure, "and the jurors will realize they did the right thing."

The remains were identified through dental records. It has not been determined if clothing found nearby belonged to Theresa Parker.

"It's a great day and a terrible day." David Ashburn, Walker County EMA director, said. Ashburn said their search for Parker included a massive ground search with the help from the sheriff's office, the GBI and the FBI.

Teresa Parker was last seen leaving her sister's home on the night of March 21, 2007. According to Wilson, the remains were identified three years and six months to the day that Parker disappeared.

The next step is a forensic review to determine the cause of death, and then the remains can be released to the next of kin.