Crime & Safety

Man Found Dead In Dallas Identified; No Foul Play Suspected

The Douglasville man died of an overdose, his body found near a Hillside Overlook restaurant's dumpsters.

DALLAS, GA — A man found dead on July 27 near a restaurant's dumpsters in the 200 block of Hillside Overlook has been identified as a 40-year-old Douglasville man, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said Friday.

The sheriff's office turned to social media on Oct. 2 in hopes the public could assist with identifying the man.

Authorities received confirmation Wednesday that the "John Doe" was Joshua Bryan Gels, the sheriff's office said.

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"Gels had been estranged from his family, and according to them, lived a transient lifestyle," authorities said in a news release.

Authorities said Gels died from an overdose, and they do not suspect foul play in his death.

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"We would like to thank the countless tipsters who assisted in helping detectives obtain his identity," the sheriff's office said in the release.

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