Body in Lake Lanier identified as missing boater

A body located in Lake Lanier was identified Monday as that of a missing DeKalb County boater.

George “Marty” Counts, 47, of Tucker, had been missing since Feb. 11, when his empty boat was spotted going in circles near Bald Ridge Creek, the state Department of Natural Resources previously said.

Counts was an avid fisherman and was believed to be operating his boat that evening. The boat ran out of gas and was on the bank when rangers arrived, the DNR said.

Counts was not located during the initial search, which lasted several days and involved various agencies.

Sunday morning, two fishermen spotted a body in the Little Ridge area of the lake in Forsyth County, according to Melissa Cummings, DNR spokeswoman. The body was recovered around 9:30 a.m. and transported to the GBI Crime Lab, where an autopsy was conducted Monday.

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