GBI Investigating Death After Body Found in Brooks County House Fire

BROOKS COUNTY, Ga. — State investigators are working to determine the circumstances surrounding a death discovered during a house fire in Brooks County.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance on Sunday morning, April 5, 2026, after a body was found inside a burning home.

At approximately 10:55 a.m., the Brooks County Fire Department was dispatched to a residential structure fire in the 2000 block of Hickory Head Road in Quitman, GA. When crews arrived, they encountered heavy flames and smoke coming from the front, side, and rear of the home.

Firefighters worked to bring the fire under control before beginning salvage and overhaul operations. During that phase, personnel discovered a body inside the structure.

Following the discovery, the Brooks County Fire Department and the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Agents and a crime scene specialist responded to assist with the case.

Authorities said the body will be transported to the GBI Crime Lab for an autopsy and positive identification.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the GBI at 229-225-4090 or the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office at 229-263-4262. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.