Body found during missing man search

By DEUCE NIVEN

tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com

     A body was located during the search for a missing man in the Hallsboro area on Saturday, though identification of the remains is pending an autopsy, Columbus County Sheriff Lewis Hatcher said Monday.

     Volunteers with the Wilmington based CUE Center for Missing Persons were conducting a search in the area of Thurman Road in Hallsboro Saturday when they discovered a body in a wooded area, the sheriff said in a news release.

     “The identity and cause of death are pending autopsy results,” the news release said.

     There will be no additional information released, for now, the news release said.

     Family members and law enforcement have been searching for a Nakina man who was last seen in the Hallsboro area on Tuesday, Sept. 25, a previous sheriff’s office news release said.

     Austin Buck Long, 22, of Chair Factory Road in Nakina, was last seen in the Nakina area about 6 p.m. on that Tuesday three weeks ago.

Missing man

     Described in the missing person news release as 6 feet 1 inch tall weighing about 185 pounds, Long was last seen wearing tan shorts, gray shoes and no shirt. He has numerous tattoos including “Lisa” on one arm, a skull with a three point crown on his left hand, and a six point star with a “9” in the center.

     Anyone with information on the disappearance of Long is asked to contact Det. Paul Rockenbach at 910-640-6629.

     Look for updates here as events warrant and the full story in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online.