A missing Covington man found dead in a burned-out car had been suffocated, authorities said Thursday.

Gregory Vernon Harris' body was found nearly two weeks ago in the trunk of his car after firefighters extinguished the burning vehicle in southwest Atlanta, police said.

Thursday, after informing his immediate family, investigators with the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office said Harris, 49, died of asphyxiation from being suffocated, and ruled his death a homicide.

Harris was reported missing from his Covington home on July 13, Newton County police said. According to the missing person's report, his sister told police that his belongings had been tossed about inside his home.

Around 2:30 a.m. the next day, Atlanta firefighters responded to a fire at a home in the 800 block of Westmont Road. They found the Infiniti M35 registered to Harris set ablaze, along with the abandoned house the car was parked behind, police said.

Using dental records, authorities last week identified the body found in the trunk as Harris.

It is unclear where, when or why Harris was killed.

Atlanta homicide detectives and Newton County police continue to investigate.

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8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres