Investigators confirmed on October 22, 2025, that human skeletal remains discovered two days earlier were positively identified as those of Mr. Watson. He was last seen on June 20, 2025, near his residence on Poors Ford Road.
The case began after Watson, 55, was last seen around 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 20th. He was reported missing by concerned family members the following morning.
The Discovery and Search Efforts
The breakthrough in the case occurred on Monday, October 20, 2025, when a bone was discovered in the 2800 block of Poors Ford Road. This led to an intensive, concentrated search effort on an adjacent, heavily wooded property located across the road from where Watson was last observed.
During this expanded search, investigators successfully located a significant portion of human skeletal remains. The remains were immediately transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for evaluation and positive identification.
Throughout the summer, the search for Watson proved exceptionally challenging. Investigators had confirmed through a neighbor's witness account that Watson had entered a dense, wooded area behind his home. This area, which encompasses hundreds of acres, was the focus of multiple earlier searches involving deputies on foot, drones, and specialized cadaver K-9 units from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations.
Despite days spent searching the dense woods closest to his residence, initial efforts were unsuccessful in locating Mr. Watson. The eventual discovery of the partial remains allowed investigators to narrow their focus to a specific surrounding area, ultimately leading to the recovery of the majority of the remains.
No Foul Play Suspected
Following the positive identification, the Sheriff's Office confirmed that Watson's family has been notified of the heartbreaking conclusion.
Crucially, officials stated that based on all evidence and interviews gathered during the course of the four-month investigation, no foul play is suspected in connection with Mr. Watson's death.
The Sheriff's Office did not release further details regarding the cause of death. The official case has been closed pending the final report from the State Medical Examiner's Office.
WNCTimes