Deputies Find Deceased Near Elk Mountain Scenic Highway During Missing Man Search
BCSO deputies found a deceased person near Elk Mountain Scenic Highway on March 4 while searching for someone reported missing in February; identification is pending with the NC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Deputies with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office located a deceased person near Elk Mountain Scenic Highway in North Asheville during a search on March 4, 2026, the sheriff’s office said. The search had been conducted in connection with a person reported missing in February, but the office said it is unclear whether the decedent is the same individual.
A BCSO news release issued around 9:20 p.m. March 4 said the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will perform a positive identification and that the sheriff’s office will notify next of kin before releasing identifying information. The release reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and that more information will follow after OCME confirmation.
Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller addressed public safety in the news release, saying the discovery “is believed to be an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community.” Deputies did not release a name for the missing person they were searching for, and no cause or manner of death was released by authorities at the time of the statement.
Elk Mountain Scenic Highway runs from the Blue Ridge Parkway northwest of Asheville to Brookwood Road near Killian Mountain, placing the discovery in the North Asheville search area where deputies said they were focusing their efforts. Investigators confirmed the area where the body was located corresponds to the location authorities were searching for the person reported missing in February.
A separate missing-person listing that appeared in regional coverage names Sherley Jean-Francois, 28, as reported missing Feb. 18 and last contacted Feb. 3, according to the Asheville Police Department. The sheriff’s office has not confirmed any connection between that named report and the March 4 discovery; BCSO officials instructed that identification by OCME and notification of next of kin will precede release of any linked names.
BCSO said no arrests, charges, or indications of foul play have been released as of the March 4 news release. The office directed that OCME identification is the next procedural step; once a positive identification is made and next of kin are notified, the sheriff’s office will provide additional information to the public.
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