The remains of an Atlanta man missing since 2001 were discovered Friday morning in South Carolina, authorities said.

Richmond County Sheriff’s Capt. Scott Peebles said in a press release that James Thomas Mills' body was found at 11:30 a.m. at a residence in Aiken. Mills was visiting friends in Augusta, located in Richmond County, when he was reported missing. Officials would not say how long Mills had been dead or how he ended up in Aiken, just across the state line from Augusta. The FBI and Aiken County Sheriff's Office assisted Richmond County deputies in the investigation.

An autopsy will be performed by the Aiken County coroner to confirm the dead man's identity, Peebles said.

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Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, seen here in a file photo from Nov. 14, 2024, is conducting a statewide audit of voter registrations targeting registrations at businesses and P.O. boxes for possible cancelation. (Jason Getz / AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com