UPDATE: Deputies say Garland Warren has been found; authorities investigating discovery in Butts County FR24 News France

The Spalding County Sheriff's Office said Friday evening that Garland Warren, who was reported missing earlier this month in Laurens County, had been found.

UPDATE: In a separate Facebook post, Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean said he was “very sorry” about the outcome.So many people, including family, friends, law enforcement, firefighters and many other volunteers, poured their hearts and time into the search for Mr. Garland,” he wrote. “This is not the outcome we were praying for.»

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

UPDATE: The Laurens County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post Friday night that a body found in Butts County “is believed to be” Mr. Garland Warren.

“Georgia “The Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Butts County Sheriff's Office (BCSO), Spalding County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) and Laurens County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) are on scene” , the message said. “We have no further information at this time. This is still an ongoing investigation. I ask you all to keep the Warren family in your prayers. »

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

UPDATE (06/28/24): The Spalding County Sheriff's Office said Friday evening that Garland Warren, who was reported missing earlier this month in Laurens County, had been found.

“Please keep Mr. Garland Warren’s family in your prayers,” the message read. “He has been located.”

Reached by phone Friday evening, Spalding County Coroner Michael Pryor said he had not been informed of the discovery. Butts County Coroner Lacey Prue confirmed by phone that remains were found in Butts County, but told 41NBC she was unable to confirm or deny that the remains belonged to Warren. She said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was on scene.

The GBI confirmed via email that its agents were handling the scene and referred us to local law enforcement for further details. We also contacted the Spalding County Sheriff's Office, the Butts County Sheriff's Office and the Laurens County Sheriff's Office.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

ORIGINAL STORY (06/27/24):

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. (41NBC/WMGT) — The Spalding County Sheriff's Office says a dog belonging to Garland Warren, who was reported missing earlier this month in Laurens Countywas found on Thursday.

According to a Press release from the Spalding County Sheriff's Officeinvestigators with the Butts County Sheriff's Office were contacted about a dog matching the description of Warren's dog. The dog, found near Georgia Hwy. 16 at Windy Lane, had been taken in by a “good Samaritan” who had contacted authorities. The dog was turned over to Laurens County authorities.

On Wednesday morning, a large-scale search operation was conducted by approximately 75 searchers from various agencies, including the Spalding County Sheriff's Office, Butts County Sheriff's Office and Laurens County Sheriff's Office. Crews searched the area around Wallace Road in Butts County where Warren's truck was photographed on June 15, before the truck was discovered by Spalding County deputies at a Dollar General on June 21.

“They searched the entire area, including the woods, checking creeks, culverts, ditches, trash piles, abandoned homes, drain pipes, bodies of water and anywhere they could go, or Mr. Warren could have gone,” Sheriff Darrell Dix said.

Despite extensive searches, Warren has not been located.

“Yesterday morning, everyone wanted to find Mr. Warren and help his family,” Dix said.

Further investigation via Flock statewide security cameras yielded no new information related to Warren's truck or connected vehicles.

Earlier this week, two people, Robert Earnest Peppers, 62, and Kelly Gail Osborn, 56, were taken into custody on charges related to the theft of Warren's truck. No additional charges have been filed at this time.

Deputies said after the truck was found at the Dollar General on June 21, it was transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Region 13 in Perry, where it was processed by crime scene investigators of the GBI.

“According to the Butts County Sheriff's Office, they were contacted by a couple who stated that on June 15, 2024, they were riding a 4-wheeler on the abandoned end of Wallace Road in Butts County when they observed a black pickup truck on the side of Wallace Road with the rear tires in a ditch,” the release states. “Not knowing if the vehicle was occupied or not, they decided to stop and not approach it. The wife took photos of the truck and forwarded them to the Butts County Sheriff's Office. The photos were confirmed to match the truck Mr. Warren was driving when he disappeared, and in one of the photos, his dog is pictured These photos place the truck where Peppers said he found it 6 days before the truck was found by Spalding County Sheriff's Office deputies at the Dollar General on Jackson Road after a. Flock alert.

Sheriff Dix spoke of continued frustration among community members.

“I know people are frustrated, as are we and everyone looking for Mr. Warren,” he said. “Everyone wants answers and for someone to be held accountable. Right now, as much as people want it, there is not enough evidence to charge Osborn and Peppers with anything other than what they are accused of. Both have waived their rights and have been questioned extensively by investigators. We have to go where the evidence and the facts take us, not where our emotions and theories want to take us. At the end of the day, there is a big difference between believing someone was involved, saying you know they were involved, and proving they were involved in front of a jury. When you walk into a courtroom, you only have one chance to get it right or you lose everything.”

Authorities urge anyone with information, video footage or leads to contact the Spalding County Sheriff's Office, Butts County Sheriff's Office, Laurens County Sheriff's Office or the Spalding County 911 Center at (770) 229-9911.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.