GBI investigates 3rd death on Bell Mountain after missing man found
Courtesy of Bui family
TOWNS COUNTY, Ga. - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into the death of a missing Norcross man whose body was found inside a van parked at Bell Mountain in Towns County.
According to Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 38-year-old Phat Tan Bui was discovered on the evening of July 18 around 9:15 p.m. by deputies with the Towns County Sheriff’s Office. The van, which was registered to Bui, was located in a parking area at the popular scenic overlook. Deputies later confirmed that Bui had been reported missing by his family in Gwinnett County just a day earlier on July 18.
Upon locating the van and finding Bui deceased inside, the sheriff’s office requested assistance from GBI agents to aid in the investigation. Preliminary findings indicate that foul play is not suspected in Bui’s death.
Bui’s body was transported to the GBI Crime Lab for an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.
According to an online obituary, a funeral service was held for Bui, who was a member of the Atlanta skating community and known for his passion for working out, music, and ideography, on Aug. 2. The obituary does not list a cause of death.
Bui was the third person to be found on the mountain this year.
Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis, 19-year-old twin brothers from Gwinnett County, were found in March. After months of investigation, the GBI ruled their deaths a double suicide. However, the family has insisted since the twins were found that they would never kill themselves.
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Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the Towns County Sheriff’s Office at 706-896-4444 or the GBI’s Cleveland Regional Office at 706-348-4866. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), visiting gbi.georgia.gov, or using the See Something, Send Something mobile app.