Authorities are investigating the death of a man whose body was found late Thursday in a wooded area off I-20 east of Atlanta in Social Circle.

GBI spokesman John Bankhead said a passerby spotted what appeared to be a brush fire and called 911.

"Firefighter's put out the fire and discovered a man's body," Bankhead said.

He said an autopsy will be conducted at the GBI crime lab in Decatur to determine how the man died.

The man's name has not been released.

The death is also being investigated by Social Circle police and the state Fire Marshal's office.

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People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jenni Girtman