(Lawrenceville, Ga., 06/13/2024) – A Gwinnett County jury on Wednesday found a former Doraville Police officer guilty of killing a 16-year-old girl and dumping her body in the Dacula woods after abducting her as she walked to her home.

Miles Bryant, 23, was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping, and misdemeanor false report of a crime for the July 2022, death of Susana Morales. Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Tamela Adkins sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 12 months.

“We are profoundly sad for the Morales family,” said Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “The despicable nature of the defendant’s acts is compounded by the fact that he was a police officer at the time. Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers are highly dedicated to serving the public good every day. Thank you to GCPD for the work that made today’s verdict possible.”

The teen disappeared after leaving her friend’s Norcross apartment to walk home the night of July 26, 2022. She never showed up. In February 2023, more than seven months later, her decomposed body was discovered in a wooded area in Dacula near Georgia State Route 316.

Investigators soon found Bryant’s personal handgun, which he had reported stolen hours after dumping Morales’ body, near the scene where her body was found. Police were able to track the weapon back to Bryant, and then triangulate his movements using cell phone tower mapping.

When location data showed both Bryant’s personal and work cell phones near the site where the teen was last seen walking to her Norcross home, and then in the woods off 316 where her remains were discovered, police arrested Bryant.

The case was prosecuted by special prosecutor Brandon Delfunt and Special Victims Unit Managing Assistant District Attorney Megan Matteucci. Gwinnett County Police Det. Angela Carter and Lt. Xavier Biggers and the Gwinnett Police Department were invaluable in helping to prosecute this case.