A Georgia man has been missing since February after someone set fire to his house

Melvin Cooksey, a 58-year-old black man from Covington, has been missing since Feb. 24, after his residence was set on fire by an unidentified individual.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Atlanta Field Office and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office are seeking the public’s assistance in locating Cooksey.

Cooksey’s residence at 1405 Mote Road in Covington was engulfed in flames, and specific medical equipment and services he requires due to his partial disability were left behind.

Cooksey has not been found in the residence, and authorities do not believe he left the location willingly, which puts him in imminent danger.

According to the GBI, about 30 minutes before the fire erupted, witnesses reported seeing a white 2006 Ford Focus ZX3 Hatchback with Kansas license plate C0255 leaving Cooksey’s residence. Investigators are now trying to locate the vehicle and its driver to aid in the search for the missing man.

Covington, a city in Newton County with a population of around 14,000 residents, is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Both the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Bureau of Investigation have joined forces to ensure public safety in the region and resolve this case.

Individuals with information on Melvin Cooksey’s whereabouts or the white Ford Focus are urged to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 10 Atlanta Office at 770-388-5019 or Newton County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Josh Hicks at 678-625-1455.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Georgia Bureau of Investigation website at https://investigative-gbi.georgia.gov/gbi-tip-line. The Georgia Sun will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as they become available.