NEWTON COUNTY – Police have identified the body discovered Tuesday afternoon in a wooded area near a construction site on Access Road in Covington.

The man has been identified as Brandon Sistrunk, 39, from Rockdale County. Sistrunk was first reported missing on Feb. 20, with a missing persons report sent to the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) on Feb. 24. 

Additionally, the original BOLO from the RCSO stated that Sistrunk was disabled, though it is unclear in what capacity.

According to an incident report from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO), workers at the Access Road construction site had noticed Sistrunk around the area on multiple occasions, and, presuming him to be homeless, had asked him to leave each time. 

But on Tuesday, after the construction group returned from a week-long break from the site, one worker reportedly saw Sistrunk on the ground and realized he was unresponsive.

After getting no response, the worker reportedly kept his distance but looked to see if Sistrunk’s chest would rise and fall to indicate any signs of breathing. When the worker saw no indication of breathing, he called the police.

Officers responded at approximately 4:26 p.m., and they discovered Sistrunk deceased on the scene.

A statement from the RCSO said that the cause of death for Sistrunk was “undetermined” and will be provided once the medical examiner’s report is completed. The NCSO told The Covington News on Tuesday that foul play was “not suspected.”