The human remains found by fishermen in the Ogeechee River on Dec. 20 have been tentatively identified as those of a Garden City man missing since November.
The remains were matched at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab in Savannah to dental records for 21-year-old Joshua Burnsed, said Garden City police Capt. Gil Ballard, the department’s Criminal Investigation Division commander.
“We received a tentative identification,” Ballard said. “The remains have been forwarded to a specialist, and the investigation at this point continues.”
A missing person case had been opened for Burnsed on Nov. 14 after the man’s mother called police, Ballard said.
Ballard said Burnsed also was wanted on an outstanding warrant.
“We launched a missing person’s investigation knowing at the same time he could be on the run from law enforcement,” Ballard said.
The remains were found about 11 a.m. Dec. 20 by fishermen near Kings Ferry Park on the Ogeechee River.
Family members were notified of the tentative identification, Ballard said. The investigation is ongoing, and a cause of death has yet to be determined.
“We don’t know cause of death ... or why he would have been in the river,” Ballard said. “We’re waiting for final confirmation as it relates to those details.”
Police ask that anyone with information pertaining to the case call CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020 or Garden City police at 912-966-7770.