The body of a 21-year-old man that was found Sunday has been identified as Caleb Nathaniel Smith of Chatsworth, Georgia.
In a statement, Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston said lab reports confirmed Smith was the one found dead Sunday night. Smith was reported missing on Jan. 16 by family members after his vehicle and belongings were found at a truck stop in Resaca.
Smith's body was found in the northwest part of Gordon County, Georgia, according to the sheriff's office.
A citizen found the body in a "marshy, woodland area" between Sugar Valley and Hill City.
Ralston said that when Smith was reported missing, the area where he was eventually found was searched by ground and air but nothing was discovered.
Smith's body was found in a poorly drained, heavily overgrown area.
Deputies and detectives searched the area until dark Sunday night and also used a drone to get a better sense of the terrain.
The body was removed by emergency medical services and will be sent to the state crime lab in Decatur, where a coroner will perform a postmortem exam.
Detectives will work closely with the coroner and the forensic team with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Smith's cause of death is still undetermined but early results don't show any indication of violence or foul play.
Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.