Human Remains Found on Elk Mountain Scenic Highway During Missing Man Search
Human remains were found near Elk Mountain Scenic Highway while deputies searched for a man reported missing in February; identification is pending with the state medical examiner.
Deputies with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office found human remains near Elk Mountain Scenic Highway while searching for a man who was reported missing in February, the sheriff’s office said. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is working to identify the individual, and officials have not confirmed whether the remains belong to the missing man.
The sheriff’s office has provided different calendar dates in reporting: one account lists the discovery as March 4, 2026, while another lists March 5; other statements described the finding as occurring “on Wednesday.” The department said it will release a confirmed timeline once identification and next-of-kin notifications are complete.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were searching the stretch of Elk Mountain Scenic Highway because it is the area where the missing person was last known to be. Investigators emphasize that, at this stage, “it is unclear if the remains that were found are that of the missing man,” and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner must complete positive identification before further details are released.
Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller addressed public safety in a press release tied to the investigation: “As we work to gain additional information in this investigation, we would like the community to know this is believed to be an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community,” he said.
The sheriff’s office added that “once a positive identification from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner can be made and next of kin are notified, more information will be provided.” Investigators have not released the decedent’s name, age, sex, cause of death, or exact location along Elk Mountain Scenic Highway, and no timeline for autopsy results has been announced.
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are handling next steps in the probe, including identification and family notification. Authorities said they will share additional information after the medical examiner completes its work and next of kin have been notified.
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