Human remains in cul-de-sac identified as man last seen in 2024, NC police say

Human remains found in a residential cul-de-sac have been identified as a man last seen in 2024, according to investigators in North Carolina.

A cause of death for 44-year-old Harry Lee Willard Jr. has yet to be determined.

“The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office was contacted in regard to found human remains located near 101 Milestone Dr., Summerfield, N.C., on April 16,” the sheriff’s office said in an April 29 news release.

“The remains were collected and sent to the N.C. State Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for further examination and identification. ... Detectives were ... advised that the remains were that of Harry Lee Willard of Summerfield.”

Willard was last seen on Dec. 24, 2024, walking on Angell Road in Madison, about 10 miles north of Summerfield, investigators say. He was officially reported missing on Jan. 7, 2025, officials said.

Investigators did not release details any ties Willard had to Milestone Drive. Maps show the address where he was found is bordered by woods on two sides, and farm land at the back.

“The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office is still awaiting official investigative reports from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” officials said.

Summerfield is about a 105-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 6:58 AM with the headline "Human remains in cul-de-sac identified as man last seen in 2024, NC police say."