Human remains were found Wednesday underneath a North College Street home after authorities received an anonymous tip. Statesboro Public Safety Director Wendell Turner said a male caller dialed the Bulloch County Sheriff's Department to report finding possible human remains.

Sheriff's investigators contacted Statesboro Police detectives, who responded to the brick house at the corner of West Parrish and North College streets, and found what they believe to be human bones and remains, he said.

The caller told Bulloch County Sheriff's Inv. Jared Akins he was checking the house out for renovations when he discovered the remains, but Turner said Dr. Whit Lord, who owns the house, had not spoken with anyone regarding the home. The rental house has been vacant for two years, he said.

Both the Statesboro Police and Bulloch County Sheriff's department have one open missing person case, he said. One man, Quientt Garbett, who would be 44 if still alive, disappeared from his home on Old River Road June 30, 2007. Garbett, who stands about 5'9" and weighed about 190 pounds when he went missing, was wearing blue jogging pants, a red or blue shirt, and black and white Shaq high top shoes. He is mentally challenged and has limited verbal skills. Bulloch County Sheriff's investigators searched for days, but found no trace of Garbett.

Statesboro Police opened an investigation in Oct. 2007, when Orlando Hamilton, who was 20 at the time, disappeared. He was last seen on Denmark Street, and had a dreadlock hairstyle.

Both men are black males. Turner said it is too soon to speculate as to whether the remains are of either man, adding the remains could easily be from a person from another area. Results from forensic testing are expected to reveal the person's sex, cause of death and ultimately their identity, he said.

Wednesday afternoon, shortly after Akins received the anonymous call at around 1:15, police detectives, along with sheriff's investigators and an archaeology professor from Georgia Southern University, donned protective suits and climbed under the house through a crawl space to gather evidence.

Turner said the remains, once gathered and logged as evidence, will be taken to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Savannah for further scrutiny to possibly determine cause and manner of death as well as the identity of the victim.

Bulloch County Coroner Jake Futch picked up the remains around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to transport them to Savannah, he said.

Neighbors and bystanders stood watching as two police detectives, Keith Holloway and Det. Sgt. James Winskey, Akins, and the GSU professor climbed through a small opening to get underneath the house. Other law enforcement agents handed them large paper bags, a silver body bag, sieves and other equipment to use in recovering the remains. Yellow police tape marked off an outer perimeter, where only authorized persons could enter, and an interior perimeter, where only those handling the remains and other evidence were allowed.

"It's a slow process," Turner said while at the scene. "Everything has to be cataloged, photographed, logged as evidence, meticulously removed and examined by the crime lab."

Holloway is assigned to lead the case, assisted by Winskey, Akins and other investigators, he said.

Turner said the remains were almost a complete body, with just a couple bones missing. He did not give details of clothing or anything else possibly found with the body, due to the investigation being active.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Holloway at 912-764-1542.
Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at 912-489-9414.