Asheville Police Search for Missing Man, Community Asked to Help

The Asheville Police Department is conducting an active search for a missing man, 60 year old Kevin Dwayne Lyles. Lyles was last seen on Tunnel Road on November 1 and was reported missing to police on November 10. Law enforcement publicized the ongoing search on December 4, asking the public for help in locating him.

Lyles is described as five feet eleven inches tall, weighing approximately 140 pounds, with gray hair and a full beard. Officers say he is partially deaf and mute, a factor that heightens concern about his ability to seek assistance or communicate if he is encountered. Police note Lyles is known to frequent the Tunnel Road corridor and the Bartlett Arms apartments, making those neighborhoods central to search efforts.

The missing person case has immediate local impact because Tunnel Road is a busy residential and commercial artery where neighbors, workers, and visitors may pass Lyles without realizing he needs help. Residents and property owners in the area are being asked to review home and business security cameras, check storerooms and outbuildings, and speak with others in their buildings about any recent sightings. Small details such as clothing, direction of travel, or time of an encounter can be valuable to investigators.

For family, friends, and neighbors the situation underscores the vulnerability of older adults living with sensory disabilities. The combination of limited hearing and limited speech can make routine encounters more difficult, and in cold December weather the risk to an older individual outdoors is elevated. Local service providers and neighbors who work with people who may have mobility or communication challenges should be especially alert.

Anyone with information that could help locate Kevin Dwayne Lyles is asked to contact the Asheville Police Department at (828) 252 1110. Providing timely tips will assist officers and the community in reuniting Lyles with his family and ensuring his safety.