Body of woman found in woods identified

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Investigators on Thursday sifted through a dumpster, looking for clues as to why a woman was found dismembered in a wooded area off Old Winter Garden and Cottage Hill roads on Wednesday. 

A man, who asked not to be named, was part of the group of crime scene technicians who first discovered the remains. "The body parts, it just messed me up," he said. 

Deputies would not comment on the condition of the body or cause of death, but they said the victim is 42-year-old Ethel Shannon McCarson. Investigators tell us that have more questions than answers, now that they have identified the body.

Driver Gene Hughes told investigators he saw McCarson with another man on Tuesday afternoon by some mailboxes near the crime scene. She was also seen buying alcohol at a nearby liquor store. "I saw a couple crouching down here, and they were arguing, because there was a lot of hand movement going on. There was some bags, and I thought, maybe it's just a couple of homeless people," said Hughes. He described the man as 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 150 pounds, dark completed, with short hair.

Records show McCarson was arrested for disorderly conduct in Panama City Beach in March of last year.
According to police in Ashville, North Carolina, there is also an active arrest warrant for McCarson for peddling.
Authorities say she had a similar criminal history in the State of Georgia.

Residents who live in the area where the body was found, like Yolanda Williams, are concerned. "It's scary, because it's right down the street, and it's right where I have to stand every day to put my baby on the bus."

As investigators search for the person who committed the brutal act, Williams wonders who did this. "My heart goes out to her family."

Anyone with information should call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).