Susana Morales: The 16-Year-Old Who Vanished on a Short Walk Home, and the Former Police Officer Convicted of Her Murder

Susana Morales was only 16 when she disappeared while walking home from a friend’s apartment in Norcross, Georgia. She had sent her mother a message saying she was on her way home, but she never arrived. What began as a desperate search for a missing teenager eventually led investigators to a former police officer.

On the night of July 26, 2022, Susana left the Sterling Glen apartment complex and began the walk home. At approximately 9:40 p.m., she texted her mother to let her know she was on her way. Location data from a phone-tracking app later showed her moving toward home, but something changed: her phone appeared to travel in the opposite direction at driving speed before its signal disappeared.

Her family reported her missing the following morning. Relatives later said they were frustrated because they believed authorities initially treated her disappearance as a possible runaway case rather than recognizing the urgency of finding her.

For months, her family waited for answers.

On February 6, 2023, Susana’s remains were discovered in a wooded area near Georgia Highway 316, more than 20 miles from where she had last been seen. Investigators used dental records to confirm her identity.

A discovery at the scene became a major turning point. A Glock 19 pistol found near her remains was traced to Miles Bryant, who was then a Doraville police officer and also worked as a courtesy officer at the apartment complex Susana had visited.

Bryant had reported the firearm stolen on the morning after Susana disappeared. Investigators also examined cellphone location data and internet searches connected to him, including searches about how long a body takes to decompose. Prosecutors presented this evidence during his trial.

In June 2024, a jury found Bryant guilty of malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping and filing a false report of a crime. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 12 months.

The case continued to draw attention years after Susana’s disappearance. In May 2026, ABC’s “20/20” revisited the investigation in an episode titled “Tracking Susana,” bringing renewed attention to the teenager’s final hours and the family left searching for answers.

For Susana’s loved ones, the case is about more than a conviction. It is about a daughter and sister whose ordinary walk home ended in tragedy, and a family determined that she be remembered as a person, not simply as the victim of a crime.

Source: PEOPLE