Confirmed: Remains are Dara Watson's

The Charleston County Coroner confirmed at a Saturday press conference that remains found on Friday near the Francis Marion National Forest are that of Dara Lee Watson, the woman missing since Feb. 6.

Police say her fiance, David Hedrick, killed the 30-year-old woman and then tried to cover his tracks. When his plan unraveled and police began asking questions, Hedrick committed suicide on Feb. 10.

"Dara was killed inside her home between (Feb. 6 and Feb. 7) by David Hedrick," said Mount Pleasant Police Chief Harry Sewell. "He then transported her inside of the GMC Envoy to Halfway Creek Road where he proceeded to bury her body."

Watson died of a single gunshot wound to the head, said Rae Wooten, the Charleston County coroner. Ballistic testing on the 9 mm gun Hedrick used in his own suicide are being conducted to link the weapon to Watson's death.

Police allege Hedrick planned to flee the area. They recovered a resignation letter to his employer on his computer and friends told reporters his Mercedes was loaded with clothes when they arrived at the home on Feb. 10.

Hedrick also sent messages to Watson's family and her employer from her cell phone in an attempt to buy time, Sewell said. Searchers later found that phone in pond near the home Hedrick shared with Watson.

Police on Friday found Watson's body in a grave within 60 or so feet of where authorities had earlier found her burned-out SUV, Sewell said. Though searchers had scanned that area almost daily since Feb. 10, the grave was unnoticed.

"Environmental conditions changed, mainly a heavy rain, which allowed the ground to settle and reveal evidence of her location," Sewell said.

Watson's identity was confirmed through dental records, Wooten said. The Saturday news brought to close a weeklong search for Watson that involved up to 100 searchers at times.

Read full coverage of Dara Watson's disappearance.

Watson's family had not seen the 30-year-old Mount Pleasant woman since Feb. 6. That's when Watson left her family's Boone, N.C., home with Hedrick. Before his death, Hedrick said the two argued. Friends told reporters that Watson wanted to call off their summer wedding.

See a timeline and map of events in the case.

Police won't speculate on the reasons for Hedrick's alleged actions. Not yet, at least.

"I think the reasons he took his life are a lot deeper (than police asking him questions)," Sewell said. "I believe this investigation will uncover that."

Authorities on Feb. 7 discovered Watson's burning SUV in a remote road in the Francis Marion National Forest. Witnesses say they saw Hedrick exiting the woods with a shovel around the time of the fire. A motorist reported picking up Hedrick near the forest.

Hedrick reportedly committed suicide Feb. 10, hours after police questioned him in their formal missing-person investigation. Watson was reported missing by her employer earlier that day.

Now, officers will try to fill in any remaining blanks investigation, though the case won't proceed at the same rapid pace, Sewell said.

"Now with forensic analysis, we hope to tie all the loose strings," Sewell said. "Now the family gets closure. ... Now we want to make sure we can answer all the questions."

Praise is owed to all the officers who worked long hours and covered miles of the swampy national forest, as well as other sites, Sewell said.

"There was never one person who complained," the chief said. "It was a constant search. It was like they were searching for one of their own family members."