State and local authorities are investigating the death of a 60-year-old Cumming man who was found slain Sunday night at his deer processing business in Hancock County.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, a relative found the body of Nelson Garner about 9:30 p.m. at Garner’s Grinder, 18630 Hwy. 16 in Sparta.

At the request of sheriff’s office in Hancock County, which is in Middle Georgia, agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Milledgeville Office are helping with the case.

According to the GBI, an autopsy was conducted Monday at its medical examiner’s office in Decatur.

The cause of death is being withheld due to the investigative value, said GBI spokesman John Bankhead, though he added “it was obvious” that Garner had been murdered.

According to Bankhead, the case is a “very unusual occurrence” for the rural area. Georgia Crime Information statistics show the last murder in Hancock County happened in July 2005.

Garner had last been seen alive at 4 p.m. Sunday, according to the GBI, though the specifics are being withheld as part of the investigation.

“We’ve got to hold things tight to our chest until we’ve got some movement,” Bankhead said.

“We’re following some leads up as we normally do. I did a road check last night to see if anybody had seen something unusual.”

Garner was discovered by his brother. The two men stayed at and operated the well-known area business during hunting season,

Bankhead said.

After she hadn’t heard from him in a while, Garner’s wife called and asked the brother, who was in the Atlanta area Sunday, to check on her husband, Bankhead said.