Athens man whose body was found in the North Oconee River reportedly had shot himself

Seth Evans

By Joe Johnson

An autopsy determined that an Athens man shot himself before his body was found in the North Oconee River earlier this month, according to the Athens-Clarke County coroner.

Seth Evans, 27, whose body was found April 11, had been last seen on March 29, when the University Circle resident purchased at the Lexington Road Lowe’s home improvement store a 60-pound bag of concrete, which county Coroner Sonny Wilson said Evans had in a back pack he was wearing when a search party found the man’s body submerged in 15 feet of water behind the ruins of Charlie Williams’ Pinecrest Lodge on the banks of the North Oconee River.

A shotgun was located near the body, according to Wilson.