Story Published:
Sep 12, 2009 at 11:52 PM EST
Story Updated:
Sep 13, 2009 at 11:54 AM EST
AUGUSTA, Ga. –Richmond County Investigators are looking for the person who murdered a homeless woman Saturday.
Investigators found the body of Teresa McElderry near the boat house off of Riverfront Drive Friday.
The woman’s daughters spoke exclusively to NBC Augusta 26 News about their mother's murder and her battle with drugs.
"I always told her I loved her no matter what,” said the woman’s daughter, Dera McElderry.
She and her mother Teresa didn't always see eye to eye.
“Me and my momma, we’re close but, not that close, because I didn't like what she was doing with her life,” Dera said.
“I think she had a drug addiction, she just couldn't get over it,” said one of Teresa’s other daughter’s Jawona Caldwell.
Caldwell says she and her mother were close.
"Last month we talked, she said she loved me and I said I loved her. She asked for money and I said I'd give it to her,” Caldwell said.
Teresa’s family says her 30-year battle with drugs may be one of the reasons why she was killed.
"Nobody deserves to die like that, nobody deserves to get their life taken over some crazy B.S. or whatever,” Caldwell said.
The family said Teresa had always been the life of the party.
”She was the funniest person in the world,” Caldwell said.
A couple years ago Teresa tried to get clean, but wasn't able to do it.
“I'd say you need to try harder and she tried harder, she really did,” Dera said.
“She just didn't want to do right, I didn't understand, we offered her a house here and she just wanted to be in the streets,” Caldwell said.
The sister's were adopted by family members years ago, but regardless; they say they'll miss their mom.
"I don't know why somebody would do this to her, you know, people are just cruel these days,” Dera said.
The sisters say they hope whoever did this turns themselves in.
Richmond County investigators say they're still trying to figure out whether Teresa was killed at the location or whether her body was brought there.
This is Richmond County's 20th homicide of the year.
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