At 7:35 a.m. Wednesday, a man was reported missing from his Barrow County home. Two hours later, police found his car just over the Gwinnett County line. His body was in the trunk.

A suspect in the man’s death was found at the deceased’s home this morning, Barrow County Capt. Ryan Sears said. He is currently detained at the sheriff’s office headquarters in Winder, Sears said.

The man is “currently the suspect in the death of the missing person and the investigation is ongoing,” Sears said in a media release.

The victim has not been identified. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is not identifying the suspect because he has not been criminally charged.

READMan charged in Gwinnett cold case killing 2 years after bones found 

The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case as a “possible homicide.” While the body was found in Gwinnett County, Barrow County deputies determined that the primary crime scene was contained to the missing man’s home on Chimney Trace Drive in Winder, said Cpl. Wilbert Rundles, a spokesman for the Gwinnett County Police Department.

The victim’s body was covered with a blanket in the trunk when police found it, Rundles said. Authorities could not even remove the blanket from the body until it was determined whether the crime was committed in Barrow or Gwinnett, Rundles said.

Around 11 a.m., it was determined that the crime primarily occurred at the Chimney Trace Drive home, giving the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction. Deputies began searching the home and examining the body and the trunk at that time.

When authorities came to the house at 7:35 a.m., the suspect ran because of possible drug charges, Sears said. He was caught by a K-9 officer.

The victim’s cause of death has not been disclosed.

Like Gwinnett County News on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter

Stay up to the minute with breaking news on Channel 2 Action News This Morning

In other news...

An arrest has been made in the death of Silling Man, whose body was found in a vacant restaurant in the Gwinnett Place Mall in December.

About the Authors

Keep Reading

Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Marie Broder  is retiring at the end of the year. Her deputy, David Studdard, will take over the office. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren

Featured

Managing Partner at Atlantica Properties, Darion Dunn (center) talks with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a tour following the ribbon cutting of Waterworks Village as part of the third phase of the city’s Rapid Housing Initiative on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
(Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez