COVINGTON, Ga. — Missing Covington resident Yolanda Brown has been positively identified as the deceased occupant of a vehicle sheriff's deputies found off I-20 in Covington Monday, Sept. 12.

Her next of kin have been notified, said spokesman Sgt. Jack Redlinger of the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

The body and vehicle were transported to the GBI headquarters in Decatur Monday for an autopsy and investigation of the vehicle, Redlinger said previously.

On Monday at about 2:19 p.m., deputies located the vehicle off the roadway in the woods off I-20 westbound in Newton County, Redlinger said. 

Police cruisers lined the side of I-20 near the Alcovy Road exit and a TV news helicopter hovered over the area following the discovery.

The search for Brown previously had included sheriff’s deputies and Georgia State Patrol officers using a helicopter Sept. 7; and deputies searching along I-20 at Almon Road on foot Sept. 8 for evidence relating to her disappearance.

Brown, 53, had been missing since leaving the Irish Bred Pub in Hapeville in the early morning hours of Sept. 3, family members said.

A surveillance video showed Brown leaving the bar in the early hours of Sept. 3. Family members said the video showed her talking to a man for two hours inside her car before he exits the vehicle, gets into an SUV and follows Brown out of the parking lot.

Brown is described as 5-foot-8, 150 pounds, with black hair, brown or hazel eyes, and braces.

Fox5 News reported investigators have not yet ruled out foul play but it was still early in the investigation. 

Brown was a native of Chicago and worked for an insurance company, a source said.