An autopsy completed Friday revealed the body found in the woods in the Avery community is a Forsyth County man who disappeared two weeks ago.

The body of Michael Brian Benson, 31, was discovered at 10:15 a.m. Thursday in the woods behind a house in the Avery Estates neighborhood off Avery Road southeast of Canton.

Capt. Ron Hunton of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office's violent crimes division is heading up the investigation into Benson's death.

While the autopsy identified Benson, it did not conclusively determine a cause of death, he said, adding there was "no obvious indication of any kind of violence" such as a gunshot wound.

Hunton estimated it likely would take two weeks of review by the GBI state crime lab before definitive answers could be released. County Coroner Earl Darby said the remains would be turned over to the family following further examination.

While Benson's death is not being referred to as murder, foul play has not been ruled out although no apparent motive has surfaced.

"At this point, as far as we know, no one wanted to hurt him. Nothing like that," Hunton said, adding Benson's wallet, which was found in his truck on May 3 the day after he went missing, still contained his credit cards.

Benson was reported missing the morning of May 3 by his fiancee after he left the previous day for a job site in Cherokee, but never arrived at work.

The 2000 black Toyota Tundra truck he was test-driving was found the afternoon of May 3 in a remote spot off Hog Farm Circle off Epperson Road southeast of Canton. It was discovered after the sheriff's office received a call about an abandoned vehicle.

The truck was parked about a half a mile through the woods from the site where the body was found Thursday.

An Avery Estates homeowner, who went behind his house to investigate a strong odor, found the body about 50 yards from the paved Avery Road and about 30 feet from an access road in the neighborhood.

Detectives from the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, which was heading up the Benson disappearance case, now are sharing information with Cherokee investigators, Hunton said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the violent crime division at (678) 493-4080.

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