ATLANTA — The family of a young man who dedicated his life to serve the country wants to know what happened to him after he was found dead more than three hours away from where he was last seen.
"A young kid, 25 years old, to be found dead, who was just trying to go to work is probably the hardest thing to accept," Debra Smith said.
She's Devin Jeter's great-aunt. Jeter was serving in the Navy as a weapons specialist, stationed at NAS Jacksonville after spending the last two years deployed in Japan.
"He was such an outgoing, caring person. I want people to know he loved his country. He loved his family so much," Smith said.
Jeter was the light of his family. The baby of 6 kids followed his siblings' footsteps and became a Navy sailor. He was home in Atlanta, searching for a car to buy with his parents. He had just gotten back on Nov. 1. On the 7th, when they didn't find a car to buy, Devin chose to rent a car at Hartsfield Jackson Memorial Airport.
"His dad tried to tell him to stay because it was so late. They dropped him off at the Enterprise around 10:30 at night. He was insistent that he had to get back to the base for work the next day," Smith said.
Surveillance cameras captured the car he rented. It was a Silver 2024 Jeep Compass with Florida tag EWAG47. The next day calls to him from his family went unanswered. Devin never made it back to his base.
"We get teary when we start talking about it because just not knowing is the hardest part. Not knowing what happened to him," Smith said.
The sailor's body was just found on Veteran's Day by a fisherman in a river near Lumber City, Georgia. His family says there was no trauma on his body, but they're still waiting to learn more from the autopsy performed.
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"I'm still praying foul play is not involved. It doesn't make it easier if he fell asleep and ran off the road, but to know could play could've played a part in the reason he's not here, that's the hardest part for me," Smith said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations is working hard to solve Devin's case. Detectives were able to identify him by his cross tattoos on both arms, but no ID or wallet was found with him. They also have been unable to locate the rental car.
Devin's family said six days went by before anything about him missing was officially put out.
If anyone saw Devin, the rental car or has any information into what happened, the GBI is encouraging them to contact them as soon as possible. Any info no matter how small, could be vital in solving this case.
Contact the GBI at 478-374-6988 or share tips anonymously via the GBI’s tip line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at GBI’s tip submission page, or through the “See Something, Send Something” mobile app.