Authorities find skeletal remains at home of Georgia man who died in Hawaii
Share and Follow


(NEXSTAR) – The family of a 74-year-old man who died during a trip to Hawaii say they found the skeletal remains of a human being on his Georgia property a few days after his death, police in Decatur have confirmed.

A representative for the Decatur Police Department said the 74-year-old’s family had believed the remains belonged to his adult son, who had gone missing years ago. An investigator at the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed to Nexstar that this is indeed the case, having positively identified the remains this week.

The medical examiner’s office does not suspect any foul play, a representative told Nexstar.

Henry Frantz Jr. died on March 10 in Maui, according to an obituary posted online by a Decatur funeral home. A representative for the Maui Police Department was not immediately available to provide a preliminary cause of death, but local outlets including Atlanta’s WSB-TV and Decaturish.com reported that Frantz suffered a scuba-diving accident.

Six days later on March 16, police were called to Frantz’s residence in Decatur, Georgia, in reference to the discovery of “a deceased person,” police said.

“Family members of the previous homeowner of the residence located what they believed to be a human skeleton in the backyard of the home, inside a treehouse,” a representative for the Decatur Police Department wrote in a statement shared with Nexstar.

The director of operations at the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office told Nexstar that the remains showed no obvious signs of trauma, but that they had not yet determined a cause of death.

“No foul play is suspected,” she said.

Speaking with local news outlets, Frantz’s daughter said that her missing brother, whose name was also Henry, had left home about four years ago. He was 28 at the time, she said.

According to his obituary, the elder Frantz was an avid lover of Scottish and Irish music and often played the bagpipes. In 2015, Decaturish did a profile on Frantz, calling him the area’s “unofficial bagpiper” due to his frequent performances around the Decatur and Atlanta area.

In addition to the bagpipes, Frantz was also fond of traveling and hunting for fossils, his obituary noted.

A memorial service has been scheduled for April, according to his obituary.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Kingsport WWII Hero Marks Milestone: Celebrating 103 Years of Legacy and Service

In Kingsport, Tennessee, a World War II veteran marked a significant milestone…

Father Charged with Murder Following Staged Kidnapping Incident of Infant

JONESBORO, Ga. (AP) — An Atlanta-area man faces murder charges in connection…

Decatur Public Schools and Richland Community College Celebrate Successful Program Expansion Following Inaugural Graduation

DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — Four years after its inception, the innovative Prep…

Florida Congresswomen Tackle Food Assistance Challenges as Government Shutdown Looms

Federal authorities have issued a warning to state agencies that ongoing benefits…

Urgent Alert: November Food Aid Faces Shutdown Threat—Act Now to Secure Support!

The future of a key federal initiative, which delivers food assistance to…

Local Frustration Grows Over Unreliable CAT Bus Service in [City Name]

SAVANNAH, Ga. — For countless residents, Chatham Area Transit (CAT) serves as…

RCSO Shares Tips to Identify Authentic Police Officers After North Augusta Arrest

AUGUSTA, Ga. ()- A resident of North Augusta is currently facing legal…

Richmond County Imposter Cop Arrested After Illegally Detaining Driver

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division has…