Body Found in Burke County in March Identified as Missing Valdese Man

Burke County -- April 23, 2026: Authorities have identified the deceased individual found along Interstate 40 in March as Marty Joe Bryan, 48, of Valdese.The identification follows an investigation that began when a body was discovered on the afternoon of March 18, 2026. Mr. Bryan had been reported missing from the Valdese area just days earlier, on March 15.Timeline of the DiscoveryThe incident began when the Burke County 911 Center received a call at approximately 1:10 p.m. from a concerned m