GBI: Body found in rural Barrow County

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - The body of a man was pulled from a makeshift grave in Barrow County Wednesday afternoon.

Investigators were working Wednesday to try to determine if the body found was that of a missing man from Walton County.

For residents along Fleeman Road in Barrow County, it was day of nerves and uncertainty as crime scene investigators with shovels unearthed the body of a man left in a makeshift grave behind a single wide mobile home.

“These guys have been in the yard all day,” said Sheila Martin, a resident who lives near the crime scene. “Well it makes me feel like what’s going on.”

Investigators with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrived in the early morning hours on a tip a body was buried here.

“We’ve been processing the scene all day and a body was located early this afternoon,” said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.

Sheriff Smith said the tip involves the case of Montez Watson who was reported missing in Walton County in February.

“Walton County has been actively working a missing person case with Mr. Watson for several months now and a tip that led them here to this location is why we are here with the GBI,” said Sheriff Smith.

It is unclear why this location was chosen to bury the body but Sheriff Smith said nearby residents did not report any suspicious activity.

“This is a fairly quiet area and everybody has been very cooperative. None of the residents have seen or heard anything that they know of,” said Sheriff Smith.

It was a quiet area until Wednesday when multitudes of law enforcement converged here to remove the body of a man whose family is likely searching for answers.

“I’m very sorry and I’m praying for that family,” said Sheila Martin.

“We hope there is some sort of closure for the family that we’ve located a loved one,” said Sheriff Smith.

He also told FOX 5 News that the body was transported to the GBI Crime Lab for positive identification.

Sheriff Smith said so far there have been no arrests adding that could change soon.