Five months have passed since human remains were found in Bartow County woods, scattered among leaves on the ground.
And while investigators have not determined the man's identity, they know he was shot at least twice -- once in the back of the head and once in the torso.
But who is he? Deputies with the Bartow County Sheriff's Office have some clues, but need the public's help to solve the mystery.
It was shortly after 8 a.m. July 3 when four people walking to a fishing hole spotted what they thought was a human skull just north of Emerson, according to Bartow County Sheriff Clark Milsap. The group called 911, and deputies arriving at the scene confirmed it was a human head.
A search of the area led investigators to most of a skeleton, Milsap said. The only clothing found was a pair of boxer shorts and a single white sock, police said.
The remains were then sent to the GBI crime lab for forensic testing. Experts determined the victim was between 18 and 40 years old and was between 5-feet-3 and 5-feet-9 inches tall.
Using the skull found in Bartow County as a base, GBI forensic artist Marla Lawson created a sculpture depicting what the victim may have looked like, and a picture of the sculpture was released Monday.
John Bankhead, GBI spokesman, told the AJC that some of Lawson's work in creating sculptures includes educated guesswork, in particular when shaping a person's features. Therefore, the victim's hairstyle, for example, may have been different than the one on the sculpture.
Sgt. Jonathan Rogers with the Bartow sheriff's office told the AJC the case is being treated as a homicide. But it's possible neither the crime nor the victim were affiliated with the area, Rogers said. Two .22 caliber shell casings were found near the remains, but there's no confirmation that these are related to the case, he said.
Investigators have checked with various metro Atlanta agencies and the GBI, but the remains don't match the description of any missing person cases, Rogers said. Dental remains and DNA evidence was recovered from the victim, and the best chance of solving the case could be if someone comes forward with new information.
Anyone with details on the case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 770-606-8477.
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