Body of North Carolina man found on Outer Banks beach. Investigation underway, park says

UPDATE: An autopsy has revealed Gregory L. Miller died as a result of “hypothermia and water immersion,” and foul play is not suspected, WNCN reports.

The original story is below:

A body was discovered at Cape Lookout National Seashore on the Outer Banks, according to the National Park Service.

The victim has been identified as 65-year-old Gregory L. Miller of Durham, officials said in a release.

Investigators say the discovery was made Monday morning, Nov. 8, at the north end of the South Core Banks.

Park officials told the Carteret County News-Times “a fisherman found Mr. Miller’s body floating in the water and called 911 around 8:45 a.m. Monday.” Authorities believe Miller was visiting the area for fishing, the outlet said.

Miller had been staying at the park’s Great Island Cabin Camp site on the South Core Banks, officials said.

“The cause of death is still undetermined, as park rangers and the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office begin an investigation,” park officials said.

Great Island Cabin Camp is reached only by “the park ferry or your personal boat,” according to Recreation.gov.

Superintendent David Hallac of National Parks of Eastern North Carolina issued a warning on Nov. 5 for park visitors to stay out of the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend, due to the combined impact of a passing storm and seasonal king tides, which are higher than average.

Flooding has been reported throughout the Outer Banks and wind gusts have reached near 70 mph, McClatchy News reported.

North Carolina has had at least five “surf zone fatalities” this year, three of which involved people caught in a deadly rip current, according to the National Weather Service.

In April, a body was found at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (north of Cape Lookout) and authorities later reported it was a man who went missing when “his truck crashed over a railing at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel” in Virginia.

In May, a man’s head washed up at Cape Lookout National Seashore, leading to a homicide investigation. The victim was a 21-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, officials said. He had been camping at the park when he vanished May 22, McClatchy News reported. No arrest has been made in the case.

This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 7:35 PM.