Check of wildlife cameras along interstate turns grisly, Georgia cops say

UPDATE: The body has been identified as Douglas Cordell Barnes, 36, according to station WXIA-TV and other news outlets.

The original story is below.

Wildlife cameras often pick up unexpected things in the wilderness, but a body was discovered as one person checked their cameras in northeast Georgia, police say.

It happened around 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4, on a dead-end road in Lavonia, according to a police department news release. Lavonia is about 95 miles northeast of Atlanta near the South Carolina state line.

“A citizen checking wildlife cameras discovered a deceased person in the area of David Ave., near I-85,” Lavonia police officials said.

“The citizen immediately called 911. At this time the deceased person has not been identified, nor has a cause or manner of death been determined.”

A autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of death, officials said.

The area where the body was found is just east of Interstate 85, in a rural area that has a mix of mobile homes and large stands of forest growth, maps show.

Wildlife cameras, also known as trail cams, are a popular tool used by hunters and nature enthusiasts to track and record activity in wilderness areas.

Investigators did not report whether the cameras recorded footage of the person found in the area.

This story was originally published September 7, 2023 at 6:31 AM with the headline "Check of wildlife cameras along interstate turns grisly, Georgia cops say."