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FBI tells no tales of dead man
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It's been nearly two months since the body of a man was found on Fort Stewart and although FBI has released little information about the case, including the man's name, a Michigan family believes it knows who he was.
The FBI began investigating the man's death as a homicide a week after his body was discovered floating in a pond on the installation near the Taylor's Creek training area off Highway 119 on Jan 24. Civilians fishing in the area were the first to find his body.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Bill Kirkconnell said autopsy results showed the man was the victim of a fatal gunshot wound, but would not comment further about the circumstances surrounding the death, citing the case's classification as an open investigation.
The victim, who has only been described as a middle-aged white male, would not be identified "until his identity has been forensically confirmed," Kirkconnell added.
But almost two months later there have been no updates released by the FBI and messages left in Kirkconnell's voicemail have not been returned. At other times, phone calls have been forwarded to an answering system that does not allow the caller to leave a message.
That doesn't surprise Melody Toney.
The Michigan resident said she has been trying to get answers from the agency because she and her ex-husband's family believe the unidentified man is her former brother-in-law.
"The person found in the pond we believe is my ex's brother because of the date and area he was found and the fact that the FBI has been here and questioning us," Toney said in an e-mail. "We do know for a fact my ex brother-in-law 'died' in the area...we are sure it is (him)."
According to Toney, her ex-husband has "been trying very hard to get information for himself and his father" to confirm their suspicions, but the FBI has not confirmed or denied the unidentified man is their relative. Investigators have also been slow to respond to their information requests - that is, when they've actually responded to them at all.
"...family here in Michigan is getting zero information from anyone," her e-mail read.
Toney, who did not release her former brother-in-law's name or other information when requested by the Courier, said the family continues to sit restless on the sidelines as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information on the case should call the FBI's Savannah regional office at (912) 944-0700.

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