NC investigators seek clues to suspicious death of man found in woods near Chapel Hill
A hiker found a body in the woods near the Chatham-Orange county line last year, but what happened to the Siler City man remains a mystery.
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office now considers Christopher Jesse Johnson’s death suspicious, according to a news release. Johnson, 33, was found on Sept. 7, 2023 in the woods near Walmart off U.S. 15-501 in northern Chatham County.
Johnson’s body was found shortly after 4 p.m. near a creek, but investigators have released few details about how he died. Chatham County officials said in a news release last year that investigators had not found indications of foul play.
When asked Wednesday why the Sheriff’s Office is continuing to look into the case, spokesman Randall Rigsbee said Johnson’s death is now considered “suspicious in nature.”
“An investigation was launched at the time of the discovery of his body,” Rigsbee said. “Due to the active nature of this case, no further information is being released currently.”
Court records show Johnson had dozens of charges dating back to 2006 in Chatham County, including for larceny, breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods and assault on government officials.
He served four months in prison in 2011 after being convicted of larceny, according to the N.C. Department of Adult Correction. Other charges were either dismissed or resulted in probation and community service. Few details were available in court records for charges filed after that date.
Records show his previous home addresses included the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, located at 110 W. Main St. in Carrboro and Elbert Johnson Road in Siler City.
Anyone with information — “no matter how minor it may seem,” Rigsbee said in the release — can contact the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office at 919-542-2911 or Investigator Tyler Bridges at 919-545-8155.
Information can also be submitted through the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office app, available for download at bit.ly/ChathamSheriffNC.
This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 4:16 PM with the headline "NC investigators seek clues to suspicious death of man found in woods near Chapel Hill."
