For many teens in Athens and Limestone County, the home shared by Mike Hankins and his wife Lisa on Yarbrough Road was a fun place to swim, laugh and hang out.

Tiffany Salvia was one of those teens who often visited the home. After all, she was best friends with Mike and Lisa’s only child, Candace.

“They were two of the most awesome parents you could ever ask for. They loved having kids at the house,” Tiffany said of Mike and Lisa Hankins. “We would go over there and swim in the pool and they had a hot tub. It was the hangout place.”

Tiffany said she and Candace Hankins became best friends when they were 12. Salvia “pretty much stayed” with the family during the summer months.

The good times didn’t last, however. Lisa Hankins died unexpectedly in 2002, which devastated Candace. Mike Hankins died last February.

Candace graduated from Elkmont High School in 2005, but moved to Rock Springs, Georgia, seven years ago. Mike Hankins was from the area and still had family there.

Tiffany said she and Candace remained close, even though they didn’t see each other as often as before. They had talked as recently as last week, however.

“She was just very outgoing and personable,” Tiffany said. “She had a warm heart and cared for other people. She would do anything for anybody, even if she didn’t know them. She was beautiful inside and out.”

A tragic end

On Sunday, authorities in Walker County, Georgia, were called to the Wheeler Road home shared by Candace and her live-in boyfriend, 29-year-old David Ryan Walker of LaFayette. According to published media reports, Walker had called relatives to tell them he needed help disposing of Candace Hankins’ body.

Walker County, Georgia, Sheriff Steve Wilson briefed area media outlets on the case Monday.

“Upon arrival here, the deputies spoke to the male occupant and upon speaking with him, we further determined that the female occupant here at this home was deceased,” Wilson said. “At some point, we believe that the death occurred inside the home. However, the suspect either picked up the deceased or drug the deceased to the wooded area.”

Wilson also said there was no sign of a weapon, such as a gun or a knife, involved in the murder.

“We are uncertain as to the cause of death, but we believe it was possibly some type of forced trauma to the body that caused the death. As to the motive, we are not certain of that at this point,” Wilson said.

Some media outlets have also reported that Candace was pregnant at the time of her death, but Tiffany could not substantiate that claim.

Walker had his first court appearance on Monday. He is currently being held in jail with no bond.

Friend finds out

Late Sunday night, Tiffany received a message on Facebook from someone she didn’t know. She normally ignores such messages, but Tiffany said this message seemed different. The woman who sent it asked Tiffany to call her, so she blocked her phone number and called the woman.

“She said, ‘I saw your name on Candace’s Facebook and I’m trying to find her next of kin,’” Tiffany said of the conversation.

The woman told Tiffany details of what had happened between Candace and her boyfriend. She didn’t believe her friend was dead, so she proceeded to call the sheriff’s office in Walker County every hour. She also kept checking the news outlets in the northwest Georgia area.

Investigators in Georgia told her Ryan was being questioned, but offered no other details. At 3 a.m. Monday morning, she finally saw the first news story about a murder investigation. A sheriff’s office investigator called her about an hour and a half later and confirmed Candace was dead and Ryan was a suspect in her death.

Tiffany said she’s still in shock, but she’s glad the woman on Facebook reached out to her.

“I haven’t slept since I found out,” Tiffany said. “I’m in utter disbelief.”

When asked what people should know about her best friend, an emotional Tiffany said they should remember the good things about Candace, not the difficulties she faced.

“She had a really difficult life, but I think most people will remember the smiling, happy Candace,” Tiffany said. “She was just dealt a bad hand.”