Cause of death released for body found at High Shoals Falls

HIAWASSEE, Ga. - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has determined that the cause of death for the person found hanging near High Shoals Falls was suicide.

The GBI was asked to investigate by Towns County sheriff’s deputies investigate the death along the popular North Georgia hiking trail.

Deputies were called out around 2 p.m. Feb. 21 to the falls in the Swallow Creek Wildlife Management Area, located near Indian Grave Gap Road near Hiawassee. 

The Towns County Sheriff’s Office posted about the incident on its Facebook page. It said deputies found a person hanging from a tree by a rope.

The GBI identified the body the following day as 29-year-old Trevonte Jamal Shubert-Helton of Sautee Nacoochee. 

The GBI said at that time that their preliminary investigation indicated this death was an isolated incident and Shubert-Helton was by himself. 

High Shoals Falls is located about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta.