The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to identify skeletal remains found in July 2013 in a wooded area off South Cherokee Lane in Woodstock. The remains were confirmed to be those of a Black male, estimated to be between 40 and 60 years old. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the man likely died between February and July 2013 and may have been experiencing homelessness, as Per FOX 5 Atlanta report.
Despite several efforts, including a forensic facial reconstruction released in 2016, the case has not produced any significant leads. "We still haven’t gotten any leads, so we're revisiting this as a cold case," Capt. Jay Baker of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office told FOX5 Atlanta. The sheriff’s office recently released photos of the man's shoes and the facial reconstruction to help generate new information.
Investigators believe the remains had been in the woods for around four months before being found. The sheriff’s office is now using DNA technology to help identify the man, working with a company that specializes in missing persons and unidentified remains. "We’re also working with a company that specializes in missing persons or remains through DNA discovery," Baker said in a statement obtained by FOX5 Atlanta.
Items found with the remains included Adidas shoes and a collapsible police-style baton in a nylon pouch, suggesting the man may have had experience in security or law enforcement.
With the 12-year anniversary of the discovery approaching, the sheriff’s office hopes renewed attention will help solve the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division at 770-928-0239, according to Atlanta News First.
