Authorities have identified the body found in a pond Thursday afternoon as a man who had been wanted for multiple serious criminal charges.
According to a release from the Dade County Sheriff’s Office, the deceased has been identified as 46-year-old Richard Sweatt of Trenton. His body was discovered around 2:35 p.m. in a pond in the 2800 block of New Home Road after a caller reported what they believed to be a mannequin floating in the water.
Sweatt had been actively sought by law enforcement for the past two weeks. According to the sheriff’s office, he had failed to appear in court and was facing multiple felony charges, including aggravated sexual battery, aggravated child molestation, three counts of child molestation, and two counts of cruelty to children.
The Dade County Sheriff’s Office said there were no obvious signs of external injuries observed at the time of recovery. However, the cause of death remains under investigation, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is now leading the case.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office expressed condolences to Sweatt’s family while emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing.
