DNA testing leads to breakthrough in 1986 Gilmer County cold case homicide

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. - After nearly 40 years, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and FBI have identified the remains of a man found in Gilmer County.

Authorities are hoping the break in the case may lead to more leads explaining how David Clary died.

The backstory:

In August 1986, hunters found the remains of a man in the woods south of Elijay.

An autopsy by the GBI led officials to determine the death was a homicide, but, despite various leads, investigators could not discover the identity of the body.

What we know:

The case remained closed for decades until February 2024, when the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland and GBI Cold Case Unit partnered with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and Othram, Inc.

Using DNA collected from the remains, investigators say the team was able to identify the man as David Clary.

According to investigators, Clary grew up around Charlotte, North Carolina and made frequent trips to metro Atlanta and North Georgia. He had last been seen in Gwinnett County.

What they're saying:

"A case like this can be heartbreaking for the victim's family to go through, but it’s important to know the truth so that law enforcement can take the next steps to figure out what happened," said Kristen Mittelman, the chief development officer for Othram. "You can see by all of the coordination in this case that these cases are important to law enforcement and they are working every day to try to solve them."

What we don't know:

The circumstances surrounding Clary's disappearance and death remain under investigation.

What you can do:

 If you have any information that can help with the investigation, contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland at (706) 348-4866, the GBI Cold Case Unit at (404) 239-2106, or the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office at (706) 635-4646. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to the GBI by contacting the GBI Tip Line at (800) 597-8477.