The body of a Branford resident was found wrapped up on the Columbia County side of 256th Street Monday morning.

FORT WHITE, Fla. — The body of a Branford man was found wrapped up on the Columbia County side of 256th Street Monday morning.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday afternoon the victim was 29-year-old Steven McGee, whose last known address was Branford. McGee had connections to Columbia, Suwannee and Gilchrist counties, according to the CCSO.

The investigation into McGee’s death is ongoing.

“Cases of this nature are rare in this area and cause fear in our community,” Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter said in a release. “We are working around the clock to get answers and to bring the person or persons responsible to justice. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim as we work to provide them closure.”

The body was found Monday morning when a local resident was walking his dog. Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St. John said the man usually walks his dog every morning, but didn’t do so Sunday morning.

St. John said the body, which was wrapped in a gray tarp with bungee cords around it, was just off the road.

“He wasn’t 3-4 feet off the road,” St. John said. “If you ride by, you couldn’t help but see him. So, somebody was either in a big hurry or didn’t care or whatever. They just threw him out there.

“It looked like someone hastily came along, dumped it out and took off.”

Sgt. Murray Smith, the public information officer for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and St. John both said the victim appeared to have trauma on his body. 

The body is being taken to the Medical Examiner’s office in Jacksonville for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Smith said the body was between SW Loncala Loop off of 256th Street, which is close to Ichetucknee Springs.

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Body found on side of 256th Street

FORT WHITE, Fla. — The body of a former Branford resident was found wrapped up on the Columbia County side of 256th Street Monday morning.

The victim, whose identity has not yet been released, was a white male in his late 20s.

According to Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St. John, the body was wrapped up in a gray tarp with bungee cords around it.

St. John said the body was just a few feet off the road.

“He wasn’t 3-4 feet off the road,” St. John said. “If you ride by, you couldn’t help but see him. So, somebody was either in a big hurry or didn’t care or whatever. They just threw him out there.

“It looked like someone hastily came along, dumped it out and took off.”

A local resident found the body while walking his dog Monday morning.

Murray Smith, the public information officer for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and St. John both said the victim appeared to have trauma on his body.

Smith said the body was between SW Loncala Loop off of 256th Street, which is close to Ichetucknee Springs.

According to St. John, there are currently no known suspects.