Body Found In Augusta Canal

Augusta, GA—A body has been discovered in the Augusta Canal.

Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators were called out Wednesday morning to the Enterprise Mill, just off of the 15th Street bridge, near Greene Street.

The body has been indentified as 50-year-old Herman Johnson.

Richmond County Coroner Grover Tuten believes Johnson drowned and his body was trapped at a water grate in the Augusta Canal near Enterprise Mill.

Tuten believes the body was in the water for at least 48 hours.

We talked to one lady, who works at a catering company near the canal, about the discovery.

Carol Dancler, Augusta, GA: “I’m not really surprised. There have been bodies in the Canal for years. Whether it be using it for suicide, or just trying to hide a body, or people just falling in.“

At this point, Richmond County investigators do not suspect foul play.

Press release below from the Richmond County Coroner’s Office:

The victim ( Herman Johnson, 50 year old male from the Augusta Area) was found in the Canal just east of 15th Street at 7:40 a.m., this morning. Johnson was found by staff from the Enterprise Mill. Johnson was submerged in the water and pushed against the cleaning grate by the current of the canal. It appears that Johnson had been under water for several hours prior to being found. There was no evidence of foul play or trauma noted, but an autopsy is being performed at the GBI – Augusta Lab.

It is believed that Johnson was homeless at the time of the incident, according to the family. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene by Richmond County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Bowen at 8:30 a.m. Further details will follow as soon as the autopsy is complete…