Gerald Wright, of Rising Fawn, Ga., now faces murder counts in the death of his estranged wife, Beverly, and Richard Hudson.
Autopsies were being conducted on the two victims.
The body of Beverly Wright was found about 3 p.m. Saturday some 100 feet below where her 1989 Cadillac was dumped off a Lookout Mountain bluff.
Mr. Hudson, 59, of 1115 Hanover St., Chattanooga, was found dead at Mrs. Wright's Rising Fawn, Ga., home Friday afternoon.
Dade County Sheriff Phillip Street speculated that Mrs. Wright may have been in the car when it went over the bluff and was thrown out on impact. However, he noted that she may have been dead before the vehicle went over the bluff.
Gerald Wright was taken into custody in Rossville. He asked for an attorney and refused to talk with officers.
An autopsy is to be performed on Mrs. Wright.
Sheriff Street said Mrs. Wright and her husband had been having domestic problems, and "It may be a case of if I can't have you, nobody else can."
Authorities first put out a report about the missing Cadillac, and a man on Sunset Road overlooking Johnson's Crook reported seeing it.
The car was spotted over the bluff. A crew tried to pull it up with a cable, but the line broke, sending the car hurdling some 200 yards further down the mountainside.
Sheriff Street said authorities were unable to retrieve the car, but detectives reached it and checked it out for evidence.
The incident took place some time before 11:30 a.m. Friday at the home on Byrds Chapel Drive.
The victim's body was discovered by the Wrights' daughter, who had received a call that her mother was not at work. She had gone to the residence to check on her.
Gerald Wright is the uncle of Michael Wright, who pleaded guilty in March to the dismemberment murder of Chip Kilgore.
Michael Wright lived on Byrds Chapel Drive near the Gerald Wrights. A pond separates the two homes.
Michael Wright got a life prison term and is also in the Dade County Jail awaiting transfer to a state prison.
Gerald Wright, a 60-year-old railroad retiree, formerly was chairman of the Dade County Board of Equalization.
Mr. Hudson, who was apparently the boyfriend of Mrs. Wright, was also retired from the railroad.
Mrs. Wright, 44, worked at a veterinary clinic.
Mrs. Wright had filed for divorce, and her husband had been living next door since they separated.
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