It was a horrific find.
Authorities reported that the severely burned remains of a young man were discovered on Saturday within Georgia’s Stone Mountain Park.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting local officials with the investigation, according to spokesperson Nelly Miles. Meanwhile, John Bankhead, a representative for Stone Mountain’s Department of Public Safety, confirmed that the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office planned to perform an autopsy on Monday.
The body was found by a hiker who alerted authorities around 8:18 a.m. Saturday, Bankhead explained over the phone. The remains were located on the opposite side of the mountain from the main walking trail, roughly 100 yards or more away from the Summit Skyride tower—the Swiss cable car that takes visitors to the mountain’s peak.
Although the area isn’t particularly isolated, it is seldom visited by hikers. Bankhead noted, “I hike here frequently and had no idea that spot even existed.” He described the discovery as unusual, saying that neither he nor other long-time park employees have encountered anything like this before.
As of Saturday evening, authorities had a possible identification for the victim but were still working to confirm it. Investigators connected personal effects found nearby, including a vehicle, to the tentative identity. The DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department’s arson investigators are also examining the fire linked to the body.
Stone Mountain Park, managed by a state agency and an amusement park contractor, offers several attractions including a lakeside resort. The site has been a source of controversy due to its massive Confederate monument—the world’s largest high relief sculpture—featuring Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The sculpture’s construction began in 1924 and concluded in 1972.
