An autopsy will be conducted Wednesday to determine how a Walton County man found in well was killed, the GBI said Tuesday.
A tattoo on the body identified the man Monday evening and the death has been ruled a homicide, the GBI said. But investigators have not yet determined how the man died or how long the body may have been in the well.
"Investigation reveals the preliminary identification of the body to be that of Charles Steven Parker," the GBI said in an emailed statement Monday night. The 25-year-old Monroe man was reported missing Jan. 16.
A bad odor led a man to discover the body in a well in Oglethorpe County, east of Athens, on Monday morning, GBI spokesman John Bankhead told the AJC.
"He looked in and saw what he thought was a boot or shoe," Bankhead said.
The man called sheriff's deputies, who later informed the GBI of the discovery. A body in a state of partial decomposition was removed from the well, located off Sandy Cross Road in Lexington, shortly before 6 p.m., Bankhead said.
The body was found about five miles from where investigators previously searched for Parker. A distinctive tattoo helped investigators confirm the man's identity, Bankhead said.
Parker was last seen alive around 4:30 p.m. Jan. 15 in Athens, where he traveled to look at a property for a business deal, police previously said. His family reported him missing the following day.
Parker's wallet, car and other personal belongings were found in the days after his disappearance, police said. Investigators were able to track Parker's cell phone signal to Oglethorpe County, but then lost the signal and were unable to locate the man.
After the body was removed from the well Monday, it was transported to the GBI Crime Lab.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the GBI Athens Office at 706-552-2309.
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