Georgia · Chatham County · Alerts

Human Remains Found at East President Street and Wahlstrom Road Construction Site in Chatham County, GA — Work Halted

Chatham County police said the remains are most likely historical or archaeological, not part of a crime scene. The coroner took possession, and all construction at the site has stopped.

By Kate Thompson Published Aug. 18, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. ET Updated Aug. 18, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. ET 3 min read Developing

Key facts

What: Human remains found at a construction site, the Chatham County Police Department said
Where: The East President Street/Wahlstrom Road area of Chatham County, GA
Reported: A tip Sunday that remains were visible at the site; WJCL reported it came through Crime Stoppers
Finding so far: Most likely historical or archaeological, not part of a crime scene, officers and detectives determined
Remains: The Chatham County Coroner took possession
Final determination: The Coroner's Office, criminal or archaeological
Notified: The State of Georgia's archaeologist and the construction company
Status: All construction stopped while the investigation is underway

What's in this report

What happened at the construction site?
Who has the remains?
Has construction been halted?
Where in Chatham County?
What we don't know yet
Frequently asked questions
Related coverage

What happened at the East President Street and Wahlstrom Road construction site?

Human remains have turned up at a Chatham County construction site, and the Chatham County Police Department is investigating, WTOC and WJCL reported Tuesday. The site sits in the East President Street/Wahlstrom Road area.

Police received a tip on Sunday that human remains were visible at the site, WTOC reported. WJCL reported that the tip came in through Crime Stoppers.

Officers and detectives who went to the scene concluded that what they were looking at was most likely historical or archaeological rather than evidence of a crime, according to WTOC and WJCL.

Who has the remains, and who decides what they are?

The Chatham County Coroner responded and now holds the remains, both stations reported.

Chatham County police said the decision rests with the Coroner's Office, which will classify the discovery as either a criminal matter or an archaeological one. No timeline for that finding has been given.

Georgia's state archaeologist has been notified, WTOC and WJCL reported, as has the construction company.

Has construction been halted at the Chatham County site?

Yes. Work at the site is stopped for the duration of the investigation, WTOC reported. WJCL reported the halt holds while authorities establish what the remains are and where they came from.

Police have not said how long the stoppage is expected to last.

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Where in Chatham County were the remains found?

Police placed the site in the East President Street/Wahlstrom Road area of Chatham County. No exact address has been released, and neither has the name of the project under construction.

What we don't know yet

How many sets of remains were found
The estimated age or origin of the remains
The exact address of the construction site, and the name of the project being built there
Who reported the remains
How long the work stoppage is expected to last
Whether the Coroner's Office has reached a determination. No timeline has been given for that finding

Frequently asked questions

What was found at the East President Street and Wahlstrom Road construction site?
Human remains. Chatham County police placed the discovery in the East President Street/Wahlstrom Road area, at a site under construction, WTOC and WJCL reported.

When were the remains reported to police?
On Sunday. WTOC reported that Chatham County police received a tip that human remains were visible at the site. WJCL reported the tip came in through Crime Stoppers.

Are the remains being treated as a crime scene?
No. Officers and detectives who responded concluded the remains are most likely historical or archaeological rather than evidence of a crime, WTOC and WJCL reported.

Who took possession of the remains?
The Chatham County Coroner, who was called to the site, according to WTOC and WJCL.

Who makes the final determination on the remains?
The Coroner's Office. Chatham County police said it will classify the discovery as either a criminal matter or an archaeological one.

Has construction been stopped at the site?
Yes. Work at the site is stopped for the duration of the investigation, WTOC reported. WJCL reported the halt holds while authorities establish what the remains are and where they came from.

Has the state archaeologist been notified?
Yes. Georgia's state archaeologist has been notified, as has the construction company, according to WTOC and WJCL.

In a separate case, a human skull was found on Janice Drive in East Point, in Fulton County.

Sources

WTOC — Aug. 18, 2026
WJCL — Aug. 18, 2026

Reported and fact-checked as of 5:13 p.m. ET on August 18, 2026.

Every source linked here was opened and verified at that time. This report reflects what was known and confirmed at that moment and is not updated automatically as a story develops. For the current status of an active investigation, contact the agency named above.

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