The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations continue to probe the death of an unidentified person whose badly decomposed body was discovered Sunday evening behind a vacant house near Statham.
According to some news reports, the victim was male and had been shot and his body burned.
However, Barrow County Coroner David Crosby would not confirm that information Wednesday morning.
The human remains and clothing were in such poor condition that investigators could not determine the gender or race of the victim. The severe decomposition also made it impossible to tell immediately when the person died. Law enforcement officials expect to know more details after they receive the results of an autopsy.
The case was classified as a homicide investigation.
Two people walking in the woods behind a house in the 900 block of Atlanta Highway near Statham found the body at about 5 p.m. Sunday.
Because the body was discovered near nightfall, it was impossible to process the scene Sunday evening, said Major Murray Kogod, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.
The scene was secured that evening and the body left in place until Monday, when the area around the body was checked for evidence and the remains were sent to the Georgia Crime Lab for the autopsy, he said.
“We do have some indication that it may have been foul play. That’s all I can say right now,” Kogod said.
No ID was found with the body. Kogod said the Sheriff’s Office needs public’s help in identifying the victim.
“Our main focus right now is identifying who this is. Anyone who believes they may have any information whatsoever, such as knowledge of a missing person, should call the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office at 770-307-3083.”
