Clarification: This article has been updated to clarify Alex Burrell Gordon's preferred name.

A workers compensation claim has been filed stating that Duncan "Alex" Burrell Gordon likely died after accidentally falling over a rail and into a plastics shredding machine early the morning of May 5, the attorney for Alex's father said Monday.

"It's a tragedy for the family members involved. Family members want answers and a just result," said Spartanburg attorney Charles Hodge, representing Alex Burrell Gordon's father, Michael Gordon. Michael Gordon formerly worked with his son as a supervisor at Industrial Recovery & Recycling in Greer.

Hodge said he filed a petition with Spartanburg County Probate Court to get a declaration of death, which can then be used to get a death certificate. He also filed a claim with the S.C. Workers Compensation Commission, which provides payouts on successful death claims.

What we know:OSHA, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office investigate death of Greer man at recycling plant

Hodge said he has not been in the Greer plant. He also said he has not seen the plastic shredder where Alex was believed to be working before he went missing.

"We've got to reconstruct this, what we think might have happened," Hodge said. 

Hodge said both Alex and Michael Gordon were working the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift, and that they had a meal together shortly after midnight in the facility. Then the father left to service a machine, and Alex went back to his job area, alone, Hodge said.

He said the process Alex typically used involves a forklift to lift up a large bucket of recyclable material such as carpeting above the shredder. 

Attempts to obtain a response from plant officials were unsuccessful Monday.

Alex Burrell Gordon, 20, was a machine operator at the recycling plant. He was reported missing on May 5 after he was last seen at work. Authorities later found some of his remains under the conveyor belt next to the plastic shredding machine, and the DNA results were positive, according to Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger.

Last week, the coroner said he closed his missing person investigation but was unable to issue a death certificate because a body wasn't found. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has visited the site and is continuing to investigate. 

Hodge said Michael Gordon no longer works at the recycling plant and has been advised not to speak with the media until the case is resolved. Hodge said he and partner Ryan Langley and attorney Buck Brandt are representing Michael Gordon.

Alex's mother, Jaime Burrell Dill, told the Herald-Journal Friday that when DNA results came back positive, her worst fears were realized — that Alex died in some sort of accident.

The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office is also investigating the case. The Sheriff's Office has not commented on the nature of the death or said if it was being investigated as an accidental death or a homicide. The Sheriff's Office has also declined to release the incident reports or share the specific dates of their visits to the facility. 

Clevenger said the machine where Alex's remains were found is a plastic materials shredder common in recycling. About 60,000 pounds of plastic material had been processed between the time Alex was noticed missing and when the first investigator arrived to inspect the machine, Clevenger said.

Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. Please support our coverage of Spartanburg County with a digital subscription.