Saturday afternoon, a traffic stop near the intersection Southwest Bowens Mill Road and Highway 32 West led to the discovery of a body of a missing Douglas man and charges against an individual believed to have been involved in his death.
According to information released by the Douglas Police Department on its Facebook page, Joseph Dewayne Gaskin, 56, of Douglas, hadn’t been seen since Sept. 26. Gaskin had last been seen in the company of Joshua Carl Parrott, 38. The DPD got involved in the case when the officers from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, while investigating a theft Parrott was believed to be involved in, found the stolen property at Gaskin’s home.
During the investigation, family members reported that Parrott hadn’t been seen since around the time Gaskin had disappeared. Parrott had also traveled to Middleburg, Fla., in Gaskin’s vehicle. Investigators learned that Parrott would be coming to Douglas on Saturday, Oct. 7, but he wouldn’t be in town for very long. Officers located Parrott’s vehicle Saturday afternoon and pulled him over on the overpass near the intersection of the bypass and Highway 32. Parrott got out of the vehicle with a small caliber handgun and threatened to hurt himself. Three passengers in the vehicle also got out and moved a safe distance away. Shortly after 3 p.m., he surrendered and was arrested.
During questioning, Parrott gave investigators information regarding Gaskin’s whereabouts. They learned that Gaskin was dead and his body was in a wooded area just outside the city. Officers found Gaskin’s body in the woods just off Wendell Sears Road.
The DPD’s press release states that Parrott has been charged in connection with Gaskin’s death but the release didn’t say exactly what those charges are. The investigation, a joint operation between the police department and the sheriff’s office, is ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Douglas Police Department or the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office.