A golf course mechanic found the partially burned body of an Augusta man near the Fifth Street Bridge in North Augusta on Thursday.

The body has been identified as Corwin Lee, 38, who was reported missing to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office on Dec. 26, according to Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton.

Mr. Lee was last seen leaving his home -- the Super Inn on Gordon Highway -- with two men Sunday night.

Mr. Lee's body lay near where, in 1998, police discovered the burned remains of David Holt in the trunk of his Mazda Protege. Mr Holt, a manager for Sam's Club on Bobby Jones Expressway, had been forced to open the store and its safe before he was locked in the trunk of the car, which was set aflame.

Mr. Lee might have been lying dead for about two days, Mr. Carlton said.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office, along with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office and Aiken County Coroner's Office, are investigating the case.

Aiken County sheriff's Capt. Charles Barranco would not say whether his office was treating the death as a homicide, saying only that they were looking into the " possibility of foul play."

"We're working several different angles to gain more information," he said.

Patrick Laorenza, 34, who works in the maintenance department for the River Club Golf Course, found Mr. Lee's body about 11:30 a.m. while walking with a co-worker.

"I was walking back and I caught it out of the corner of my eye," Mr. Laorenza said. "I thought it was a blanket at first, but when I got closer I could tell it was a body."

He said Mr. Lee, lying about 100 yards from the road, was positioned on his side with his feet on the dirt path and his right arm over his face. He had suffered burns on his legs, Mr. Laorenza said.

The area is the site of frequent dumping and is home to vagrants, he said.

An Augusta Chronicle reporter saw condom wrappers, aluminum cans and other refuse strewn about the wooded area and path.

A blue tarp appeared to be serving as a makeshift tent.

A dark-red patch was left where the body was found, and the ground appeared charred.

An autopsy is scheduled for today in Newberry, S.C.