Latest news with #JohnBankhead
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Burned body found on Stone Mountain
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WSAV) — A burned body was discovered early Saturday morning in a remote area of Stone Mountain Park. Officials say the body is that of a young man but it was so badly burned it will require further forensic review. Many park goers were in shock to hear the news of the discovery. David Farmer was visiting when he learned about it. 'It's a little scary and it's kind of somber. I've never seen anything like that. I've been here a lot never seen anything like that.' John Bankhead with the Stone Mountain Park Police also said they have not seen anything like this. 'This is a very weird situation, a very unique situation and I'm curious myself as to what might've happened.' Dekalb County received a 911 call from a hiker who made the discovery shortly after 8:15 a.m. Saturday. Hours later the burn marks remained in the area formed by a rock that hangs over the mountain. According to Bankhead, it's an area that's not widely hiked. 'I hike at out here a lot I didn't even know it existed.' It's not yet clear what or how this happened. The Dekalb County Medical Examiner's Office will do an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. Dekalb Fire is conducting an arson investigation. Mike Morris was another visitor at the park when the discovery was made. 'It's unfortunate and to be so close in proximity to where everyone's kind of traversing and going back and forth. It's unfortunate that it even happened to begin with but just to hear it it's sad.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Authorities determine the cause of death of a man whose burned body was found on Stone Mountain
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — The man who whose burned body was found near the top of Stone Mountain outside Atlanta died by suicide, authorities said Sunday. The body was found near the top of the mountain Saturday morning after a hiker who discovered it called 911, Stone Mountain Park Police spokesperson John Bankhead said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hiker Discovers Man's Burned Body on Georgia Mountain in 'Area Visitors Usually Don't Go to,' Police Say
A man hiking a mountain in Georgia found burned remains of a man during his trek Stone Mountain Park Department of Public Safety spokesperson John Bankhead said the body was found in "an area that visitors usually don't go to" The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is now leading the death investigationA hiker came across the burned remains of a man on top of a mountain in Georgia this weekend. On Saturday, May 31, around 8:18 a.m. local time, a park visitor hiking on Stone Mountain Park, located outside of Atlanta, called the Stone Mountain Park Police and told authorities he discovered a "burned" body under rocks and an overhang, Stone Mountain Park Department of Public Safety spokesperson John Bankhead told local outlets, including ABC affiliate WSB-TV, FOX affiliate WAGA-TV and Atlanta News First. Responding officers, who "knew an area to look for," then found the body "burned severely," Bankhead told Atlanta News First. He added, per the Associated Press, that the body appeared to be that of a White adult male who was likely in his 20s or 30s. Speaking about where the body was found, Bankhead said, "It's in an area that visitors usually don't go to." "You can see right behind me, it's under some trees. It's not in a popular area for visitors," he added. As for the 911 caller, Bankhead said the man did not leave a name or number for authorities to contact him after he alerted police about the body. "We are fortunate that the individual did spot the body. We'd like to talk to him if he would call park police," the spokesperson said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is leading the death investigation, while the body has been sent to the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy, per multiple outlets. When reached for information, a spokesperson for the GBI directed PEOPLE to the Stone Mountain Park Police, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday, June 1. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Bankhead told WAGA-TV of the area where the body was found, "Somebody had piled up rocks in front of the overhang to make it very private." Despite the situation, the "family-oriented park" itself is "very safe," Bankhead told Atlanta News First. He called the discovery of the dead body "very rare" for the tourist destination, which is located roughly 15 miles from downtown Atlanta and features a carving of three Confederate leaders: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. "This is the first time, in my knowledge, that something like this has happened, finding a body on top of the mountain," he said. "We've found bodies [of people] who have jumped and committed suicide. But nothing like this. This is very unusual. Very rare. I don't know if this has ever occurred here." "As more comes forward, I think we'll find out that it's a very odd situation. Very odd situation," Bankhead continued. The park spokesperson also told WSB-TV that while operations are "being carried on as usual right now," things "may change depending on the situation.' David Farmer, a college student who has hiked the mountain multiple times, told WAGA that he also had "never seen anything like that" in the area. "I've been here a lot and never seen anything like that," Farmer said. "It's a little scary, and it's kind of somber." Fellow park visitor Emalyn Delgado added that she visits the area to "have fun and be at the park," telling WSB-TV that the discovery is "crazy." Read the original article on People
Associated Press
2 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Authorities determine the cause of death of a man whose burned body was found on Stone Mountain
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (AP) — The man who whose burned body was found near the top of Stone Mountain outside Atlanta died by suicide, authorities said Sunday. The body was found near the top of the mountain Saturday morning after a hiker who discovered it called 911, Stone Mountain Park Police spokesperson John Bankhead said. Police determined the man died by suicide after his parents found a note with details about how and where he planned to kill himself. Police also obtained his driver's license and determined he was a white male in his late 20s. The body was taken to the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office and his death is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Stone Mountain is outside Atlanta and features a giant carving of Confederate leaders Gen. Robert E. Lee, Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Gen. Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson on its northern face. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Body of burned man found in Georgia's Stone Mountain Park
The badly burned body of a young man was found Saturday in Georgia's Stone Mountain Park, authorities said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is helping local authorities investigate the discovery, spokesperson Nelly Miles said. Stone Mountain Department of Public Safety spokesperson John Bankhead said an autopsy by the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office was scheduled for Monday. A hiker came across the body and reported it to authorities at about 8:18 a.m. Saturday, Bankhead said by phone. He described the location of the discovery as the side of the mountain opposite its walking trail and about 100 or more yards from a tower for its Summit Skyride, a Swiss cable car line to the top. Bankhead said the location is not remote but is rarely hiked. "I hike here all the time and I didn't know that was there," he said. The spokesperson told NBC affiliate WXIA of Atlanta: "It's very odd, peculiar, no one that I've talked to that's worked out here for years has seen anything like this at the park." He said Saturday night that authorities have a prospective identity for the man but have not verified it. Personal belongings, including a vehicle parked in the area, led investigators to the possible name, he said. Authorities told WXIA that the fire associated with the body was also a focus for DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department arson investigators. The park includes attractions like a lakeside resort and is run by a state authority and an amusement park management contractor. It has drawn demonstrations and split opinions over what the park describes as the "largest high relief sculpture in the world" — a depiction of Confederate figures Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The first part of the sculpture was completed in 1924 and the last in 1972. The mountain is about 20 miles east of Atlanta. This article was originally published on
