Officials are trying to determine a cause of death after the skeletal remains of a man were identified as those of a Columbus man who had gone missing.
Derek Gray, 51, was reported missing in August 2024, about three weeks after his family last saw him.
On Christmas Day – nearly 18 months after Gray was last seen – a deer hunter came across skeletal remains in the Yellow Creek area of Steens, Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant told media members during a Friday press conference.
The hunter notified Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office about the discovery the following day.
“We contacted (Merchant, and he) took the remains to the crime lab, where DNA tests positively identified the victim as Derek Gray,” Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said during the press conference at Merchant’s office on Lehmberg Road. “… We have a continued investigation going to determine what happened to Mr. Gray.”
At this point in the investigation, Hawkins said foul play is not suspected. There was no trauma to the remains indicating violence or self-inflicted wounds.
“Mr. Gray had some medical issues that if left untreated, could have caused his death,” Merchant said. “We don’t feel like he was receiving his medication and so forth during the time he was missing.”
The remains were found in a wooded area near where Gray was reportedly camping at the time of his disappearance. Hawkins said investigators searched the area extensively but were unable to locate him, likely due to limited visibility.
“The area where he was found was very remote and had a lot of vegetation. In the summertime, it’s really hard to walk through that area,” Hawkins said. “… When the leaves started falling in the fall and winter, it opened up to where the hunter was able to come across the remains.”
While the investigation into the cause of Gray’s death is ongoing, Hawkins said the remains have been released to Gray’s family for a proper burial.
“They have already had a funeral and proper burial, so the family has got some comfort in knowing where he’s at,” he said.
Anyone with information pertaining to the cause of Gray’s death is asked to contact LCSO at (662) 328-6788 or call Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at (800) 530-7151.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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