BURKE COUNTY, Ga. () – As the search for a missing Burke County woman stretches into its fourth day, investigators are intensifying their efforts, while her family continues to urge the community for assistance in locating her.
Starr Moretti, aged 31, was reported missing after she left her residence on Terrell Forth Road this past Sunday, sparking a comprehensive search operation spearheaded by the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
Dedicated search teams have scoured the county, employing drones, K-9 units, UTVs, and ground personnel to cover expansive wooded regions. On Thursday, the search was bolstered by the addition of a mounted search and rescue team to navigate challenging terrains and dense forested areas.
Efforts have been concentrated around several key locations, including Terrell Forth Road, Dixon Hendrick Road, Quaker Road, Massey-Doss Road, and Highway 80, as authorities work tirelessly to uncover any clues that might lead to her whereabouts.
By late Thursday afternoon, Lt. Heather Sims, who is leading the investigation, made the decision to suspend the day’s search activities. Despite the exhaustive endeavors, the investigation has yet to yield any promising leads.
Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams said law enforcement agencies, volunteers and community members remain committed to finding answers.
“The fact that you’re here, the fact that I am here, the fact that this family is here, we’re flanked by experience and it takes all of us,” Williams said. “We’re not leaving any stone unturned.”
Williams acknowledged concerns increase as time passes.
“We’re not running from the fact that every day that goes by makes us even more concerned,” Williams said. “Time is certainly not on our side, but we have no reason to suspect foul play.”
Investigators continue asking residents to review security footage and report anything unusual.
“We’re asking neighbors, anybody in the area who lives in the area, who travels the area, to call with any unusual or suspicious activity,” Williams said. “Check your Ring doorbell cameras, check your property cameras, your security footage.”
As the search continues, Moretti’s family says they want the community to understand the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
Her mother, Crystal Moretti, said her daughter was experiencing a mental health crisis before she vanished.
“She’s not violent. She is just trying to get help,” Crystal Moretti said. “She is mentally upset right now. She hears voices. She talks to herself. She does not function as an adult, even though she looks like an adult.”
According to her mother, Starr Moretti had recently been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder after seeking medical treatment.
While investigators continue searching, Crystal Moretti says her family remains hopeful.
“Just come back home,” she said. “We call her my little runaway bunny. She just needs to come back home, that’s all. Or come to the nearest person. And then please, whoever you are, please call 911 so that the police can come and take her to a hospital.”
The Burke County Sheriff’s Office says Starr Moretti may be a danger to herself and is urging anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact investigators immediately.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.