3 arrested after body found behind Walton County home

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. - A body was found wrapped in plastic and buried in a clandestine grave in Walton County, according to investigators. Three people have been taken into custody.

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The Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced late Friday night that Kolbie Hadden Watters and Jonathan Britt Lester, both 21, were arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. Those are in addition to the previous drug charges for which both were already booked. Roger Gene Watters, 44, who is Kolbie’s father according to investigators, was charged with tampering with evidence.

SKYFOX 5 flew over a home in the 5900 block of Walker Bennett Road in Walton County. Around 10:30 Friday morning, the Walton County Sheriff's Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, FBI, DEA, and U.S. Secret Service were called out to the home. SKYFOX 5 spotted a GBI tent in the area behind the home where an above ground pool used to sit.

The Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman isn’t saying much but did hold a press conference and explain that they believe the body is that of a person reported missing on March 29, but investigators were naming names Friday.

"I will not release any information on the deceased until it has been verified by the GBI that a positive ID been made on the body," said Sheriff Chapman.

The sheriff said he couldn’t give a timeline of when the identification may be made. One of the reasons is investigators said they plan to keep the body wrapped until it gets to the GBI Crime Lab where it will undergo a complete autopsy and forensic examination to try to help piece together what happened.

"Those remains are wrapped up, but they will be transported to the crime lab where they will be examined in a controlled environment and autopsy will be conducted at that time," said Special Agent Mike Ayers, Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

All the federal agencies called in to assist add to the mystery. The sheriff could not speak Friday to motive but said the case is more elaborate than what they are used to which explains the help from multiple agencies.

"We can't get into that at this time either, but I’m telling you, GBI, DEA, FBI, Secret Service all these people are involved, so it's a little more elaborate that we're normally used to," said Sheriff Chapman.

Investigators were at the home all day Friday and may maintain control of the property through Saturday.

Deputies said the younger Watters and Lester were booked into the Walton County Jail. The elder Watters was taken into custody in Asheville, North Carolina and will be extradited back to Georgia to face those charges.

Sheriff Chapman said one of which is a person who lives on the property, but didn’t specify who.

Authorities would not release Friday how they found out about the body.