Skeletal remains found at Gwinnett construction site identified as man missing since 2020, officials say

DNA evidence has been able to link a body discovered in 2025 at a Gwinnett County construction site to a man who had been missing for years, officials say.

On Feb. 10, 2025, a construction crew working to expand Northside Hospital Gwinnett near Highway 316 reported finding skeletal remains at the site.

In the year since, investigations with the Lawrenceville Police Department and Gwinnett County Medical Examiner have worked to identify the remains, producing a forensic sketch based on the person's skull and reviewing missing persons reports.

A breakthrough came in early 2026 thanks to a forensic genetic genealogy analysis by DNASolves/Othram, which helped point police to people who were possibly relatives of the individual. After following the lead, the Gwinnett Medical Examiner said they connected the remains to Timothy Michell Williams. An analysis using DNA from Williams' mother and samples from the remains confirmed the connection.

According to officials, the metro Atlanta business owner was last known to be alive on July 18, 2020. He had asked his mother to keep his cell phone and told her that he would call her later. He never did. Authorities say Williams was last seen near his home in Duluth.

"Timothy Mitchell Williams was a son, a brother, and a loyal friend. He was an avid sports enthusiast and athlete, with a particular passion for skiing," the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner said in a release. "A devoted animal lover, he cared for numerous pets throughout his life, including up to 10 iguanas and several dogs he considered his 'best friends.'"

Investigators have not released Williams' cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.