LITHONIA, Ga. —
His body was found burned and discarded near a dumpster in DeKalb County. The answer to how he died and how he got there remains a mystery for DeKalb County Police Department.
Just after sunrise on Feb. 28, 2019, the body of a 58-year-old man was found at the DeKalb Southeast Athletic Complex on Hillvale Rd. in Lithonia. He was discovered in the midst of soccer fields and softball diamonds.
Three employees with the DeKalb County Parks and Recreations Department arrived to work that day and noticed that a gate normally unlocked was wrapped in chains.
They told police the gate is never locked. After unwrapping the chains, they entered the complex and drove to a parking lot next to a soccer field.
That’s where they made the discovery. His body had been burned and was lying next to the dumpster. They called 911.
First, firefighters and EMS arrived. Then, a police officer followed by a homicide detective, CSI techs and an arson investigator. A medical examiner also arrived and a member of the gang unit. A half dozen agencies all there to find out why and how this happened. And, to find out who, if anyone, killed him.
Investigation into body found at park
While processing the scene, crime scene investigators wore white hazmat jumpsuits while looking for clues and evidence inside the dumpster and around it. No vehicles were parked there when the maintenance workers found him.
Officials now know his name but they haven’t released it yet. However, the case of death and manner of death remain a mystery to investigators.