Coroner IDs body found on Hunter Street as missing man

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The person who was found dead on Hunter Street in Augusta on Thursday night was identified as previously missing 80-year-old, the Richmond County Coroner’s Office confirms.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office say they responded to the 1600 block of Hunter Street in reference to a deceased person at 7:40 p.m.

Upon arrival, deputies located a deceased adult male, who was later identified as Roy Jones, 80, officials say.

The coroner’s office says they are on scene at 9:07 p.m.

A News 12 crew on the scene says the incident is at Poplar Street and Hunter Street behind Beulah Grove Baptist Church.

Witnesses on the scene said it all started with kids playing baseball.

“While we were out here practicing with the CSRA yard dogs travel ball team. One of the kids hit a foul ball towards the fence over there in that area. Coach, Mr. Brock right here, walked over there to grab the foul ball. And he noticed that there was a cane sort of hanging outside the fence at first. And then he looked and he saw him over there and then he came up and let the coaches know without alerting the kids,” said Brock Calhoun and Oscar Pete, coaches with the CSRA Yarddogs.

They say they found the body around 7:15 p.m.

Calhoun and Pete say deputies told them it was someone they had been looking for.

They also made sure to get the kids from home safely from practice, while alerting proper authorities.

“I mean, what’s most important is that the body was found and hopefully whoever the family was that was looking for him, they can rest easy knowing where he is at now,” said Calhoun and Pete.

The scene was clear as of 9:40 p.m.

The coroner’s office has not released the name of the victim.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation is in its early stages.

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