Identified! GA- ADEL, Ed Lindsey Road, Lenox, Cook County John Doe, body in pond, 4 March '19 - Jeremiah Garretson

[dotr]

Cook County body identified as Berrien County man - Valdosta Daily Times

ADEL — A body found in a Cook County pond in 2019 has been identified as a Berrien County man. Jeremiah Garretson of Nashville has been identified, according to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation statement released Monday. Email newsletter signup Sign up for our daily email newsletter Garrettson...

www.valdostadailytimes.com

''ADEL — A body found in a Cook County pond in 2019 has been identified as a Berrien County man.

Jeremiah Garretson of Nashville has been identified, according to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation statement released Monday.

Garrettson was 36 years old when his remains were found. He was a 2014 graduate of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.


On March 4, 2019, the GBI received a request from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office to assist with a death investigation.

At about 8 a.m., Cook County 911 received a call about a body found in a pond on Ed Lindsey Road in Lenox, the GBI said.


Deputies found the body of a white male in the pond. Department of Natural Resources rangers assisted in recovering the body. The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death was accidental drowning, according to the GBI.''

 

[dotr]

Cook County John Doe (2019) is now Identified

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Teams with Othram to Identify a 2019 John Doe

dnasolves.com

Summary​

''In March 2019, Cook County 911 received a call about a human body found in a pond on Ed Lindsey Road in Lenox, Georgia. Deputies arrived on the scene and found the partially decomposed body of a white male in the pond. Department of Natural Resources rangers assisted in recovering the body. The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death was drowning and the manner of death was accidental.

At the time of discovery, the man was wearing multiple layers of clothing and white tennis shoes with a black trim. One of the outer layers of clothing was a pair of Georgia Tech pajama pants and the man also had on a yellow metal angel pin and a green and tan "Soldier of God" plastic bracelet. There were not enough clues at the scene to identify the man, however.

DNA and fingerprints were obtained from the remains in an effort to identify the man. Scientists then compared the DNA and fingerprints in the CODIS and AFIS databases but there were no matches to anyone. A GBI forensic artist created a sketch of what the man may have looked like. The sketch provided multiple leads, however the man's identity remained elusive. The case was also entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP58209.

In late 2022, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could assist in the identification of the unidentified homicide victim. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram, a private DNA lab in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram developed a DNA extract from the evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. A successful profile was obtained and then Othram's in-house genealogy team used the profile in genetic genealogy search to identify new investigative leads. These leads were returned to the GBI investigators, who then continued the investigation.

The follow up investigation, led GBI to a potential relative of the unknown man and additional confirmation DNA testing with the potential relative then confirmed that the unknown man was in fact Jeremiah Garretson, born April 29, 1982.

GBI wants to acknowledge the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, which was instrumental in this case. They contributed a significant portion of funding for the testing, supplying resources that eventually helped GBI agents close this unsolved case.''

 

[Oakie]

I wonder what compelled them to classify this as an accidental death. I looked at the site on Google Maps Street View; it would be easy to get out of that shallow pond, in the unlikely event that he fell in. I suspect either suicide or murder (or, disposal of a body already deceased).

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

I wonder what compelled them to classify this as an accidental death. I looked at the site on Google Maps Street View; it would be easy to get out of that shallow pond, in the unlikely event that he fell in. I suspect either suicide or murder (or, disposal of a body already deceased).

Suicide or homicide would be more difficult to exclude, but, if cause of death is drowning, then he was at least not placed dead into the pond. Well, unless he drowned somewhere ELSE and moved into the pond.