Authorities are counting on an autopsy to tell them the identity and cause of death of a body found in Fannin County Friday night, January 21.
Fannin County Coroner Becky Callihan said the remains were found by a hiker who had become lost. That hiker was the subject of a search by the Fannin County Rescue Squad and, when he was located, reported the body.
Callihan said that the only thing known as of Sunday was the remains were that of a male. The remains were to be autopsied by the state crime lab as soon as possible.
Callihan said after the body was found Friday night, authorities went to the remote area on Springer Mountain Saturday morning. This included agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Department of Natural Resources, the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office and Callihan.
Although the body was in Fannin County, the location was easiest to access from Lumpkin County, Callihan said.
Callihan said there were no signs of foul play at the scene, but, because decomposition had been effected by the cold temperature, it was hard to tell how long the body might have been there.
Fannin County Fire Chief Larry Thomas said emergency personnel were alerted to the lost hiker situation at 4:24 p.m. Friday.
After personnel and equipment had been assembled, and a search was about to begin, the hiker walked out of the forest.
He met with Fannin County Sheriff’s Office personnel at the Big Stamp Parking area and informed them of the situation.