Community Shocked by Tragic Death of Liberty County Firefighters

HINESVILLE, Ga. (WSAV) – The Liberty County community is in shock after learning the bodies of two missing firefighters have been found by Tennessee authorities.

Of everyone News 3 spoke with, they all shared one sentiment: This outcome is the worst possible scenario, and they truly wish things had turned out differently.

“Everybody wanted the best for him and for her, for both of them. Everybody was shocked and devastated by what was happening. We just didn’t know how to react. Everybody was really sad,” said an employee at Rodeo Mexican Restaurant, a restaurant located directly across the street from the Liberty County Fire Department, where Kohbander and Anderson worked.

The employee told WSAV the couple would come in almost every day.

“They came together, sometimes alone, but normally they came together,” she said.

However, it’s not just Hinesville residents who say the firefighters’ deaths are heartbreaking.

The first responder community here on the Georgia coast is also very tight-knit.

“I’m in shock. My heart is breaking. I don’t know what to say. I have no words. Wow,” said Amanda Pilcher, a Kohbander family acquaintance and former firefighter.

“It’s very shocking. Very tragic. It’s certainly not the ending we were hoping for for her or for the family – like it was with our two children,” said William Pilcher, also an acquaintance of the Kohbander family and a current firefighter.

Kohbander’s sister was also their children’s teacher.

According to police reports, Anderson has a history of suicidal thoughts and was arrested days before the disappearance, leading many to fear that mental health played a role in the deaths.

“Mental health is always about improvement. We can’t stress this enough: take care of yourself, your boyfriend, your brother or sister, anyone,” Pilcher said. “Mental health is a huge part of this, it can always be improved, especially when the stress and the pace are high.”

Now that Kohbander and Anderson are gone, community members say their absence will be deeply felt, in many different ways.

“I’m sure the restaurant will also miss having him and her come in and order their favorite dishes, which were like the arroz con pollo and the shrimp fajitas, which they always ordered,” said the employee at Rodeo Mexican Restaurant.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now one of the lead agencies on the case.

They have not confirmed the cause of death, but say the investigation is active and ongoing.