TALLADEGA, Ala. (WIAT) -- The human remains discovered after a brush fire in Talladega in March were recently identified.
According to Lt. Dennis McDaniel of the Talladega Police Department, firefighters responded to a brush fire behind Marvin's on March 29. Firefighters found human remains after extinguishing the fire in an underbrush.
TPD investigators, technicians from the Center for Applied Forensics at Jacksonville State University and the Talladega County Coroner's Office recovered the remains. They were transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for an autopsy and identification.
The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences informed TPD investigators Monday the remains were identified as those of Talladega resident Joe Samuel Whitson. Family members reported Whitson missing in February 2021.
Whitson is believed to have died from natural causes.