Mr. Smith's body was discovered in the northwest side of Gordon County, between Sugar Valley and Hill City, Georgia. Both Communities are located on the border of John's Mountain Wildlife Management Area, which is within the Chattahoochee National Forest. Missing NPF is listing this case due to Mr. Smith's body being found in close proximity to a Federally-managed land.
Few sources reported that Mr. Smith's body was found nude, and his clothes were not located near his body, and they remain missing. Missing NPF is currently working on verifying this information, and will update this case accordingly.
The death of a Chatsworth man whose body was found in Gordon County earlier this year has been ruled "an accidental death as a result of methamphetamine intoxication" following a toxicology report by the state crime lab, according to Gordon County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Robert Paris.
The body of Caleb Nathaniel Smith, 21, was found on February 2, 2020 by a person in a "poorly drained, heavily overgrown area," between the Sugar Valley and Hill City communities, according to a February press release from the Gordon County Sheriff's Office.
Family members reported Smith missing to the sheriff's office on January 16, 2020 after his automobile and personal items were found at a truck stop in Resaca. That press release said the "autopsy revealed no indications of violence or evidence of foul play" and investigators were awaiting the toxicology report.
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Personal Characteristics
Male
21 years old
Height: 5'07"
Weight: 110 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Classification: PASSER-BY
Investigative Overview
Foul Play Suspected: No
Suspected Suicide: No
Cause of Death: Drug Overdose
Significant Dates
Reported missing on January 16, 2020 - 1349 days, 5 hours, 13 minutes ago
Found on February 2, 2020 - 1332 days, 5 hours, 13 minutes ago
This case file was posted on
Apr 18, 2021 at 18:53
This case file was last modified on
Jun 20, 2021 at 08:30
This case file has been assigned the Missing Persons ID 3884
Disclaimer
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Missing NPF lists “Foul Play Suspected,” “Suspected Suicide,” “Cause of Death,” and other elements of data in association with public reporting. These settings do not reflect the opinions of Missing NPF and/or its staff. Unless explicitly noted, Missing NPF does not publicize opinion, nor are any of the initial reports written – or edited – by members of Missing NPF. All content (with the exception of “IMPORTANT” notices, listed toward the top of applicable case files) are the works of external persons, sources and/or entities. All pictures displayed on this case file have been downloaded from the public domain, unless a user has commented or otherwise transmitted a picture to Missing NPF or its social media accounts. Case updates are derived from external persons, sources, and/or entities, and do not reflect the internal work of Missing NPF, unless expressly noted.
April Arrington
September 6, 2023 at 9:57 pm
Privately owned land where Caleb Nathaniel Smith’s body was found. Land located on Hill City Road, 5 miles away from Flying J where his car was found, along with his cell phone, coat and keys.
April Arrington
September 6, 2023 at 9:53 pm
Pictures of where Caleb’s car was found at Flying J truckstop and pictures of where his body was found deceased 5 miles away.
April Arrington
September 6, 2023 at 9:46 pm
Information pertaining to Caleb Nathaniel Smith’s Missing Person’s and death case:
Some were asking how Caleb’s car was found at the Flying J in January of 2020. Here are some photos of location and how it was found. When Caleb went missing on 01/16/2020, his car was found backed in, left unlocked with his cell phone (battery removed) locked in glove compartment, which all of his family found very strange. Caleb never went anywhere without his phone. He loved to listen to music and keep in touch with his family and friends. Once we reported Caleb Smith as a Missing person to Gordon County Sheriff’s office on 01/16/2020, the Detective working my son’s Missing Person’s case, stated that there was “No Foul Play” The Gordon County Sheriff’s office did not process Caleb’s car. There was no kind of forensics done. For the next few weeks searches were done for Caleb. It wasn’t until a property owner located 5 miles from the Flying J called in a brush fire on his property that Caleb’s body was found. The fire was later found out to be Arson. This information was never disclosed to the family by the Sheriff’s office, I had to do my own digging to find that information out. All of Caleb’s family found it very strange that his death was basically ruled as a methamphetamine drug overdose, all though he was found completely nude (his clothes nor his shoes weren’t found near his body) in fact never found. The coroner stated that he felt like someone at that Flying J gave him some drugs and that he was high on drugs and walked himself out to that property to lay down in a body of water to cool off because he was hot. In January weather. The coroner also stated that he felt like Caleb had been out on that property those entire two weeks that he was a Missing person. Once Caleb’s toxicology reports came back, it was pretty much an open and closed case for him. So if anyone ever is asking me, do I think there was foul play? Yes, absolutely. What exactly happened at that Flying J?! We don’t exactly know due to a lack of security surveillance in their parking lot. A lot of unanswered questions. I pray to know the full truth someday. In this lifetime or the next.
Note: if you notice his death certificate it clearly states that he had only been out there hours. Not weeks.
Annie
January 28, 2023 at 2:31 am
I misspoke. They didn’t know each other according to another article.
Annie
January 28, 2023 at 2:04 am
Mrs. Arrington, I’m sorry for your loss. It’s unfortunate that your son’s passing was determined to be overdose. This is new to me. I just learned about this a few days ago. I believe that him having been found naked should give law enforcement some pause in re the cause of death. It’s very much possible that he might have been kept naked and he managed to get away, and that the amount of drugs he consumed was enough for the killer to know that he wouldn’t survive the dose. Two teens don’t just disappear together and one runs away naked leaving the other behind unless he had good reason to do so. Especially if they partook in that type of recreational activity together. It’s not logical for couples who do drugs together.
I wonder if law enforcement requested video footage, if available, from Interstate Truck Wash, which is only 5 minutes away from the Flying J, and en route to where is body was found. In high traffic areas, especially in combination with over-the-road drivers, there is a high likelihood that some sicko may have crossed their paths and took advantage of them.
Georgia residents should unite and ask lawmakers to create a law whereby cadaver dogs could be walked at any truck stop in Georgia without a search warrant, and every truck stop must have cameras installed inside and around parking lots near the interstate, and at gas stations where OTR truckers gas up, and at locations where drivers wash or get their trucks washed.
I’m small towns like these, drug use will not stop. It will only increase. There’s a lack of activities for young people. And they think sex, drugs, and crime are recreational activities.
Law enforcement should ping every tower their phone connected to and phone near them when they were in that area. It’s really unfortunate. Residents in the areas where this young man and his girlfriend was found should give law enforcement access to investigate anywhere LEO think it would help.
Brigget
May 25, 2022 at 6:48 pm
I think trafficking is an issue. I think someone stripped him and drugged him. Maybe too much and he OD’d. It’s too coincidental to Keeslyn and finding clothes. Someone at that store may be part of it. I have been watching this case close and it’s too coincidental.
Dorthea
March 19, 2022 at 12:05 pm
hello
I have a YouTube channel and I bring awareness to missing people and unresolved cases. I would love to help you get media action to your son and his case. Keeslyn Roberts family friend reached out to me and i do believe there is a lot connected and that this was not just a drug overdose and that the police failed both of your families. i don’t believe your son or their daughter was just a drug user or that they just started acting odd.
i only mean to help..
Hi April, thank you for your comment. There does seem to be many questions which haven’t yet been answered; please feel free to share any information you’d like public. Our thoughts are with you, be well!
April Arrington
June 15, 2021 at 9:10 pm
Thank you for sharing information about my son Caleb Smith. His story deserves to be heard. Too many conflicting details about his disappearance and death and not enough help from local police to properly investigate his death. They were too quick to rule as a self afflicted, “Drug overdose.”
April Arrington
September 6, 2023 at 9:57 pmPrivately owned land where Caleb Nathaniel Smith’s body was found. Land located on Hill City Road, 5 miles away from Flying J where his car was found, along with his cell phone, coat and keys.
April Arrington
September 6, 2023 at 9:53 pmPictures of where Caleb’s car was found at Flying J truckstop and pictures of where his body was found deceased 5 miles away.
April Arrington
September 6, 2023 at 9:46 pmInformation pertaining to Caleb Nathaniel Smith’s Missing Person’s and death case:
Some were asking how Caleb’s car was found at the Flying J in January of 2020. Here are some photos of location and how it was found. When Caleb went missing on 01/16/2020, his car was found backed in, left unlocked with his cell phone (battery removed) locked in glove compartment, which all of his family found very strange. Caleb never went anywhere without his phone. He loved to listen to music and keep in touch with his family and friends. Once we reported Caleb Smith as a Missing person to Gordon County Sheriff’s office on 01/16/2020, the Detective working my son’s Missing Person’s case, stated that there was “No Foul Play” The Gordon County Sheriff’s office did not process Caleb’s car. There was no kind of forensics done. For the next few weeks searches were done for Caleb. It wasn’t until a property owner located 5 miles from the Flying J called in a brush fire on his property that Caleb’s body was found. The fire was later found out to be Arson. This information was never disclosed to the family by the Sheriff’s office, I had to do my own digging to find that information out. All of Caleb’s family found it very strange that his death was basically ruled as a methamphetamine drug overdose, all though he was found completely nude (his clothes nor his shoes weren’t found near his body) in fact never found. The coroner stated that he felt like someone at that Flying J gave him some drugs and that he was high on drugs and walked himself out to that property to lay down in a body of water to cool off because he was hot. In January weather. The coroner also stated that he felt like Caleb had been out on that property those entire two weeks that he was a Missing person. Once Caleb’s toxicology reports came back, it was pretty much an open and closed case for him. So if anyone ever is asking me, do I think there was foul play? Yes, absolutely. What exactly happened at that Flying J?! We don’t exactly know due to a lack of security surveillance in their parking lot. A lot of unanswered questions. I pray to know the full truth someday. In this lifetime or the next.
Note: if you notice his death certificate it clearly states that he had only been out there hours. Not weeks.
Annie
January 28, 2023 at 2:31 amI misspoke. They didn’t know each other according to another article.
Annie
January 28, 2023 at 2:04 amMrs. Arrington, I’m sorry for your loss. It’s unfortunate that your son’s passing was determined to be overdose. This is new to me. I just learned about this a few days ago. I believe that him having been found naked should give law enforcement some pause in re the cause of death. It’s very much possible that he might have been kept naked and he managed to get away, and that the amount of drugs he consumed was enough for the killer to know that he wouldn’t survive the dose. Two teens don’t just disappear together and one runs away naked leaving the other behind unless he had good reason to do so. Especially if they partook in that type of recreational activity together. It’s not logical for couples who do drugs together.
I wonder if law enforcement requested video footage, if available, from Interstate Truck Wash, which is only 5 minutes away from the Flying J, and en route to where is body was found. In high traffic areas, especially in combination with over-the-road drivers, there is a high likelihood that some sicko may have crossed their paths and took advantage of them.
Georgia residents should unite and ask lawmakers to create a law whereby cadaver dogs could be walked at any truck stop in Georgia without a search warrant, and every truck stop must have cameras installed inside and around parking lots near the interstate, and at gas stations where OTR truckers gas up, and at locations where drivers wash or get their trucks washed.
I’m small towns like these, drug use will not stop. It will only increase. There’s a lack of activities for young people. And they think sex, drugs, and crime are recreational activities.
Law enforcement should ping every tower their phone connected to and phone near them when they were in that area. It’s really unfortunate. Residents in the areas where this young man and his girlfriend was found should give law enforcement access to investigate anywhere LEO think it would help.
Brigget
May 25, 2022 at 6:48 pmI think trafficking is an issue. I think someone stripped him and drugged him. Maybe too much and he OD’d. It’s too coincidental to Keeslyn and finding clothes. Someone at that store may be part of it. I have been watching this case close and it’s too coincidental.
Dorthea
March 19, 2022 at 12:05 pmhello
I have a YouTube channel and I bring awareness to missing people and unresolved cases. I would love to help you get media action to your son and his case. Keeslyn Roberts family friend reached out to me and i do believe there is a lot connected and that this was not just a drug overdose and that the police failed both of your families. i don’t believe your son or their daughter was just a drug user or that they just started acting odd.
i only mean to help..
Joss Leal
June 20, 2021 at 5:38 amHi April, thank you for your comment. There does seem to be many questions which haven’t yet been answered; please feel free to share any information you’d like public. Our thoughts are with you, be well!
April Arrington
June 15, 2021 at 9:10 pmThank you for sharing information about my son Caleb Smith. His story deserves to be heard. Too many conflicting details about his disappearance and death and not enough help from local police to properly investigate his death. They were too quick to rule as a self afflicted, “Drug overdose.”