Man charged with murder of Guilford County man missing since 2022

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A man is facing a murder charge in connection to the death and disappearance of a Guilford County man who had been missing since 2022, according to the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.

Stuart Lee Carter, 52 , of Guilford County, was last seen on Sept. 20, 2022. A missing persons report for the then-50-year-old Carter was filed three days later on Sept. 23, 2022.

On Friday, investigators came to a wooded area on Small Road near Randleman Lake Road in Randolph County. A search of the area with the assistance of the Triad Blood Hounds Group revealed unidentified human remains.

The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, and the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority Randleman Lake Warden’s Office were notified of the discovery and assisted in the investigation.

The remains were removed from the scene and were taken by the office of the chief medical examiner.

On Thursday, Guilford County deputies charged 27-year-old Skyler Chance Kearns with first-degree murder and concealment of death in connection to Carter’s Carter’s disappearance.

Kearns was taken to the detention center and his bond was set at $1 million.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective J. Allen at (336) 641-2799 or Guilford County Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000.

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