GBI Investigates Mysterious Death of Navy Sailor Found in Ocmulgee River
UPDATE: On November 19, 2024, at about 9:45 a.m., the Georgia State Patrol dive team located the Jeep Compass rented by Devin Jeter before his disappearance. The Jeep was recovered from the Ocmulgee River, near where Jeter’s body was discovered. Investigators found no visible damage on the Jeep.
Original Post:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is seeking public assistance in the ongoing investigation into the death of 25-year-old Devin Jeter from Scottsdale, GA. Jeter’s body was discovered in the Ocmulgee River near Lumber City, GA, on November 11, 2024.
At approximately 12:55 p.m., a local fisherman found the body at a boat landing along the river. Telfair County Sheriff Sim Davidson requested GBI support, and investigators later identified the deceased as Jeter. Jeter had been reported missing by his family on November 8 after he failed to show up for work in Jacksonville, FL. He had been last seen at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport on November 7, where he rented a 2024 silver Jeep Compass with a Florida license plate, EWAG47.
Jeter, stationed in the U.S. Navy, had been headed to Jacksonville after departing Atlanta, but when he did not arrive for his shift, his co-workers contacted his family, prompting the missing person report.
An autopsy conducted at the GBI Coastal Crime Lab revealed no apparent injuries. However, further forensic testing is underway to determine the cause of death. The silver Jeep Compass rented by Jeter has not yet been located.
The GBI is urging anyone who may have seen Jeter or the Jeep Compass between Atlanta and Lumber City to come forward. Investigators emphasize that even the smallest piece of information could be crucial to solving the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI regional investigative office in Eastman at 478-374-6988 or submit tips anonymously through the GBI’s tip line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), the GBI website, or the “See Something, Send Something” mobile app.
