JACKSON CO. – GBI agents are investigating a death after the body of a man was discovered in the woods on February 4, 2026.

Release:

Jackson County, GA (February 4, 2026) – At the request of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents are investigating a death in Jackson County.

On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at about 11:15 a.m., the Jefferson Police Department responded to a location off of Fields Road in Jackson County after several citizens were searching near where a crash occurred on Sunday, February 1, 2026. On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, several officers conducted a search near the crash scene and went into the woods. The officers then discovered the body of a man partially submerged in a river. 

Once it was determined the body was located outside of Jefferson city limits, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office was contacted. The Jefferson Fire Department, the Jackson County EMA, and the Jackson County Coroner’s Office also assisted in the investigation.

Although the individual has not yet been identified, the person who died is believed to have been an occupant of a car discovered near the river Sunday night. The car traveled a considerable distance from the roadway before it was located.

The body will be taken to the GBI Crime Lab where an autopsy will be performed.

This investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Athens at 706-552-2309. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.