A body was discovered near the Exit 82 ramp connecting Interstate 20 westbound to Highway 138 in Conyers on Tuesday, prompting a full closure of the ramp while investigators worked the scene. Law enforcement sources indicated the death is under investigation, though authorities had not disclosed whether foul play was suspected.
Conyers Police confirmed they were conducting a death investigation near the ramp, according to WSB-TV, which reported the closure disrupted traffic trying to reach Highway 138, a major commercial corridor in Rockdale County. As of Tuesday, authorities had not released information about the identity of the person who died or the full circumstances surrounding the investigation. The station noted the story was still developing, with Channel 2 Action News planning to provide the latest details at noon.
The discovery near the ramp itself was reported by 11Alive, which cited law enforcement sources saying a body had been found near the interchange.
With the ramp shut down, drivers were being pushed onto surface streets to reach Highway 138. WSB-TV advised drivers to use alternate routes while the ramp was closed.
Georgia Death Investigations
Georgia law requires a coroner to be notified of sudden, violent or unexplained deaths.
A Familiar Stretch for Rapid Police Response
This is not the first time this corridor has drawn a heavy law enforcement presence this year. In August, a multi-county high-speed pursuit on I-20 ended near Conyers when a fleeing motorcyclist crashed into a Georgia State Patrol vehicle and a highway barrier, requiring an emergency airlift, as Hoodline reported in its piece on the I-20 motorcycle chase crash. That same month, a five-month investigation led by the Conyers Police Criminal Investigations Division resulted in human trafficking indictments against two individuals following an undercover operation at a Conyers hotel, according to Hoodline's coverage of the Conyers hotel trafficking sting. In July, a supervisor in the department's Real-Time Crime Center was placed on leave and charged by the GBI with illegal access of the department's license plate reader database.
For now, the central facts remain unconfirmed. Authorities have not identified the person found near the ramp or released the full circumstances surrounding the death. Drivers heading toward Highway 138 should expect continued detours through Conyers surface streets until GDOT and police clear the ramp and reopen it to normal traffic flow.
