It could be at least another week before the identity of the person whose remains were found last week near Dawsonville Highway is confirmed.

Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton said a hunter discovered a skull about dusk on Nov. 29 as he was walking between Nix and Julian roads in northeastern Forsyth.

Paxton said investigators found more skeletal remains at the site, but their work was hampered early in the week by rain.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have anything conclusive as of yet,” said Paxton, adding that the remains have been taken to the state medical examiner’s office.

“We are hopeful that they might be able to offer some opinion as to the cause of death. There is trauma to the skull, but right now it’d be speculation to say what caused that.”

The sheriff said authorities suspect the remains are those of a 44-year-old man who disappeared in October 2000.

The man, who lived about a half mile from where the discovery was made, had been depressed. His live-in girlfriend told authorities he left one day saying he was suicidal.

Paxton said authorities searched the heavily wooded area at the time, but did not turn up any signs of him.

The site where the remains were found can be reached only on foot.

The man’s family lives out of state, Paxton said, and has been contacted about the discovery.

Family members — including the man’s father, two brothers and son — are working with their local law enforcement agencies to send DNA samples to the state medical examiner’s office.

“They’re certainly relieved at this point and it at least gave them some understanding, realizing we may be able to close the chapter on this,” Paxton said.

He said it could be a week before the DNA samples are shipped to Georgia and didn’t know how long it would take to analyze them.