Skeleton spotted along busy commercial strip in North Carolina, sheriff says

A skeleton was found among the hotels and restaurants lining a busy U.S. highway in eastern North Carolina, according to investigators.

The discovery was made along Carolina Avenue (U.S. 17 Business) through Washington, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 3 news release.

“Washington police were called around 2 pm (Wednesday) to possible human remains in the 900 block of Carolina Avenue. Once there, officers say they found skeletal remains in a stormwater drainage area near the roadway,” the sheriff’s office reports.

“The Washington Police Department believes the remains have been there for an extended period of time based on their condition.”

Maps show the 900 block is five lanes wide and traverses a heavily commercial strip in north Washington, including multiple motels, stores and restaurants.

The sheriff’s office is working with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and East Carolina University to identify the remains and a potential cause of death, officials said.

Washington is located along the Tar River, about a 105-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 8:41 AM with the headline "Skeleton spotted along busy commercial strip in North Carolina, sheriff says."