Police: 74-year-old Fla. woman's body found inside car in Henry County

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A man has been arrested after the body of a missing Florida woman was found in Henry County, Georgia.

Janice Fulton, 74, of Jacksonville, was reported missing last Saturday and investigators believed she was with 37-year-old Phillip Jason Smith in a 2009 blue Kia Optima. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office put out and alert Thursday night, around 10 p.m., the vehicle was spotted in Locust Grove.

"They pinged a cell phone that was in the vehicle at which time they called us and said, hey this vehicle is in your area, can you help find it," said Detective Darryl Shoemaker with the Locust Grove Police Department.

Locust Grove police officers stopped Smith at the Murphy gas station on Bill Gardener Parkway and during the traffic stop, Smith was arrested for having an ounce of marijuana in his possession. Police then discovered Fulton's body in the car.

"He was found to have marijuana in his possession at which time officers located a body in the vehicle," said Detective Shoemaker.

According to Locust Grove Police, Fulton had been beaten, but officers have not released a cause of death. Investigators believe Fulton was murdered in Jacksonville and Smith traveled with her body in the car.

Smith was taken to the Henry County jail where he's awaiting extradition. 

Deputies are asking anyone who may have saw Fulton, Smith or the vehicle, to contact authorities immediately.