‘So Sad’: Mystery In Atlanta After Navy Sailor’s Body Discovered By Fishermen with No ID Two Days After He Was Expected Back At Florida Base; Rental Car Company Says ‘Car Is Lost’

On Nov. 7, 25-year-old Navy specialist Devin Jeter rented a 2024 silver Jeep Compass at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and headed south to Jacksonville, where he was to report for duty the following day.

“We have a picture of him in the car leaving the airport, and that’s the last that we know,” said Gary Smith, Jeter’s uncle.

Missing Navy Sailor found dead
Deven Jeter’s found dead by fisherman while Jeep he rented to travel back to Florida base is also missing. (Credit: GBI/Facebook)

The 3rd class aviation ordnanceman never made it to Florida.

“It was six days of not knowing,” his aunt, Debra Smith, told Fox 5.

That’s when they were notified by a GBI agent that, two days earlier, a fisherman had discovered the Atlanta native’s body floating in the Ocmulgee River near a boat landing in middle Georgia. There was no identification on the man when he was found, nor were there any signs of duress.

The agent confirmed the worst when Devin’s father described his son’s tattoos — large crosses on both of his arms, a testament to his Christian faith.

Jeter’s body left few other clues. The state medical examiner is awaiting the result of additional forensics tests before determining a cause of death.

The rented Jeep has yet to be found. What happened to it may hold the key to figuring out what happened to Jeter.

On Saturday morning, Nov. 9, two days after he left Atlanta and one day before his body was found, Jeter, according to the police report, called Enterprise Rental Car and told them, “The car was lost.”

Investigators have little else to work on.

“Everything that Devin did, he did it to the best of his capability,” Debra Smith said. “He excelled at everything. That is just the type of person Devin was.”

His patrol squadron paid tribute on Facebook, calling Jeter a loving family member, cherished friend and dedicated solider. He had been deployed to Misawa, Japan, where “he was instrumental in the launch and recovery of 405 sorties totaling over 2497.7 flight hours with over 5,863 sonobuoys and two AGM-84D Harpoons uploaded and downloaded.”

“AO3 Jeter honorably served his Navy combat team through expeditious qualification as an ordnance team member, aircraft brake rider, auxiliary power unit observer, and support equipment operator,” the statement read.

His family had a long tradition of military service, grandmother Perry Jeter told News4Jax. Devin wanted to be a master sergeant in the military, just like his grandfather, she said. Two of his siblings also joined the armed forces.

“It’s just rocked our world that the holidays are coming up, and he was planning on coming back for Thanksgiving and instead of having a family gathering, we’re having a gathering for a homegoing for Devin,” Perry Jeter said. “It’s just so sad that this happens to any family.”

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