Wilson County, TN – Metro Nashville Police confirmed that human remains found on September 12, 2024, at a property along Burnt House Road in Wilson County belong to 23-year-old Blanca Guadalupe Berrios Orellana, who was reported missing in August. The remains were identified through DNA analysis, providing a somber answer to the search for Orellana, whose disappearance sparked a multi-jurisdictional investigation.
Orellana's mother reported her missing on August 21, 2024, after the young woman told her she was heading to Murfreesboro to visit a family member. However, the mother contacted police after finding out she never arrived. Metro Nashville Police's Missing Persons Unit, alongside the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and local authorities in Wilson and Rutherford Counties, are leading the investigation into her death.
The body was found on Burnt House Road, which lies behind Cedars of Lebanon State Park. This gravel road stretches through the Norene Community and connects to Highway 266 (Cainsville Road), making the area somewhat remote.
Orellana was last heard from on August 18, when she reportedly left her apartment on Old Hickory Boulevard in Antioch, telling her family she was headed to Murfreesboro. Her mother later told authorities that her daughter never reached her intended destination, prompting her to file a missing person report. Orellana’s boyfriend had told the family that she planned to visit her stepfather’s house on Carver Avenue in Murfreesboro. While the stepfather stated he had no plans with her that day, Orellana's vehicle was allegedly found parked at his residence.
Detectives from several counties continue to work together to piece together the circumstances surrounding Orellana’s disappearance and death, seeking answers to what happened on her final journey. The investigation remains ongoing.
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