Found Deceased Bryce Evans, 23, pre-med student traveling from TN to NC, Cherokee, 30 July 2022

[hibachai]

<modsnip - not an approved source, please see post #3 below>

 

[NeverPersonal]

Bryce's bestie is posting around the internet to spread the word. I hope this kid's alright.

 

[NeverPersonal]

(5) Facebook

Senator Chuck Edwards​

URGENT: A family friend has gone missing while traveling across western NC from Knoxville, TN back to Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Evans is 6’3” and 185 pounds. He was last seen around 1 pm in the Cherokee, NC area, but could have traveled further towards Charlotte.
If you live or are traveling anywhere in western NC, please be on the lookout for a 2017 Grey Nissan Altima with a TN plate # 4LO-8L5, or for Bryce himself. He is pictured below.
If you or someone you know has any information regarding Bryce Evans’ whereabouts, please contact your local police department or call (901) 651-4951.

 

[avlmtns]

Search underway for missing Tennessee man whose phone pinged in Cherokee area

A search is underway for a man who is missing. The family of 23-year-old Bryce Evans says he was last seen around 1 p. m.

wlos.com

From the article: In a post on social media, Evans' sister wrote that Bryce has two tattoos -- an astronaut on his right arm and Robert Plant's symbol on his left shoulder blade.

Her post also says Bryce is a licensed EMT and a medic in the National Guard, and he loves the outdoors and has a lot of knowledge about it.

 

[Margotrita]

Search underway for missing Tennessee man whose phone pinged in Cherokee area

A search is underway for a man who is missing. The family of 23-year-old Bryce Evans says he was last seen around 1 p. m.

wlos.com

From the article: In a post on social media, Evans' sister wrote that Bryce has two tattoos -- an astronaut on his right arm and Robert Plant's symbol on his left shoulder blade.

Her post also says Bryce is a licensed EMT and a medic in the National Guard, and he loves the outdoors and has a lot of knowledge about it.

Unfortunately, this WLOS article shows the year of his car as 1997. The other news stations and the missing information from his friend, show it as 2017.

This reminded me of a young man in the Nashville, TN area. 10-15 years ago, an acquaintance of mine had a son in med school at Vanderbilt University (local to us.) He was smart, kind, ambitious and had everything going for him. He went missing after visiting his mother over a short holiday break. He was found, the next day in his car, where he had committed suicide. He never let on to his friends and family that he was struggling.

I hope Bryce just needed to check out and take a break. The pressure of med school could have taken its toll.

 

[meanmaryjean]

Unfortunately, this WLOS article shows the year of his car as 1997. The other news stations and the missing information from his friend, show it as 2017.

This reminded me of a young man in the Nashville, TN area. 10-15 years ago, an acquaintance of mine had a son in med school at Vanderbilt University (local to us.) He was smart, kind, ambitious and had everything going for him. He went missing after visiting his mother over a short holiday break. He was found, the next day in his car, where he had committed suicide. He never let on to his friends and family that he was struggling.

I hope Bryce just needed to check out and take a break. The pressure of med school could have taken its toll.

He's not in med school. It says pre-med which could be anything really. So even if he is close to graduation- he would not be starting med school until 2023 (typical US medical schools begin only 1 class/ year and those in July-August.)

 

[annpats]

A post also says Bryce is a licensed EMT and a medic in the National Guard, and he loves the outdoors and has a lot of knowledge about it.

I wonder if he stopped off to do some hiking in the area and has come to harm or had an accident?

I'm sure Eastern TN and Western NC can be quite rural and there must be many places to stop off and explore.

Pisgah National Forest and Lake James State Park are both on the way between Knoxville TN and Charlotte NC.

Interesting that it's nearly a week since he disappeared and his car hasn't been pinged on any cameras nor been come across as abandoned anywhere.

MOO.

 

[borndem]

Cute, happy, and studious-looking young man. Apparently he does have some hiking, etc., experience, so I am hoping this guy is okay.

I just checked the UNC-Charlote academic calendar re the beginning of regular fall classes and excerpted what is below. I assume he is a full-time regular undergrad.
Hoping he will be there with the rest of his college pals.

August 22, 2022	First day of classes
August 22, 2022	First day of classes for First Half Term

-- Academic Calendar | Office of the Provost | UNC Charlotte

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I wonder if he stopped off to do some hiking in the area and has come to harm or had an accident?

Misadventure - Excessive unexpected heat while on a hike, perhaps? But I think his car would turn up soon.

I hope he's fine and just taking a needed break for himself somewhere, unaware he's a high-profile missing person case.
Rooting for Bryce to be found safe by the weekend.

 

[NeverPersonal]

I can’t find it on msm yet, but his sister posted an hour ago that last night, two women went down the wrong road and found his car at a trailhead in a remote area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in an area of no cell service. A brief search was conducted then but called off due to darkness. It was set to resume this morning at seven.

"Late yesterday afternoon/early evening, Bryce’s car was found at a hiking trailhead in a very remote part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Pam and I followed local police out there, but it took an hour and a half to travel 22 miles. Bryce is an Eagle Scout and a member of the TN National Guard, we know the training he received from both will help him in this remote area.
They conducted a brief search last night, but suspended due to darkness. They are resuming at 7:00am this morning with local police, National Park Service authorities and will be using dogs.
The area is incredibly remote with no phone service for most of the time getting there.
We will not be able to update anyone until we return to an area with phone service.
We covet your prayers. It is by Gods grace the two ladies found his car last night. They turned down the wrong road but once they were on this dirt road they couldn’t turn around. We pray Gods grace continues to cover him."
Facebook

 

[RickshawFan]

He's not in med school. It says pre-med which could be anything really. So even if he is close to graduation- he would not be starting med school until 2023 (typical US medical schools begin only 1 class/ year and those in July-August.)

I agree. Pre-med is half the entering freshman class. They get weeded out, starting Day 1.

However, it says ^^^^ in an article that he is an EMT. This is a significant accomplishment, and much needed skill in this country.

 

[meanmaryjean]

I agree. Pre-med is half the entering freshman class. They get weeded out, starting Day 1.

However, it says ^^^^ in an article that he is an EMT. This is a significant accomplishment, and much needed skill in this country.

Agree - I hope he's just out there chilling.

 

[RickshawFan]

I wonder if he stopped off to do some hiking in the area and has come to harm or had an accident?

I'm sure Eastern TN and Western NC can be quite rural and there must be many places to stop off and explore.

Pisgah National Forest and Lake James State Park are both on the way between Knoxville TN and Charlotte NC.

Interesting that it's nearly a week since he disappeared and his car hasn't been pinged on any cameras nor been come across as abandoned anywhere.

MOO.

The Appalachian Trail threads through this area. Many folks head off to the AT for a few days to get their heads together.
It would be key to find out whether he had his overnight gear with him.

 

[doublestop]

I'm curious about him going down a road that takes an hour and a half to go 22 miles in a sedan.

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

I'm curious about him going down a road that takes an hour and a half to go 22 miles in a sedan.

Yes, and with no service, he either had to program his gps before he lost service, have a map, be driving randomly, or possibly, like these ladies, was lost and forced to keep going until he got to the trailhead. It would be interesting to know what condition the car was in, both what was left in it and if something (no gas, etc) made him feel like he couldn’t get back out via vehicle. If the latter, he may have tried to backtrack down the road on foot and then left that track on foot for water or food.

 

[NeverPersonal]

Search underway for missing University of Tennessee student (wvlt.tv)
He reportedly told his sister that he was going to work out at the T-Rex Gym at UTK and he may drive to Charlotte afterward, a KPD spokesperson said. However, Evans’ card had not been used at the gym and he did not show up for his internship at the University of North Carolina.

At this time, his phone goes straight to voicemail; however, the lead investigator for KPD said Evans’ phone last pinged near Cherokee, North Carolina. Officials do not believe that he is in Knoxville now.

GSMNP officials said that the man’s vehicle was discovered in the national park Thursday night in the Balsam Mountain area. As a result, officials began a search and closed the area.

Missing college student's car found in remote part of NC mountains as search continues :: WRAL.com

A University of Tennessee at Knoxville student was on his way to Charlotte to finish up a summer internship. That's the last time anyone saw him before he went missing.

"The last thing they heard was that he was going to the gym, and then drive back up there," said Sandra Haynes, a family friend. "All things just normal on a Sunday afternoon."

Bryce Evans was staying at his Knoxville apartment for the weekend and was planning to be back at his job at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Monday, his family said.

Evans, a 23-year-old pre-med student, is not known to lose touch with his family.

"It's just so out of character and surprising. I guess everybody says that," Haynes said. "We were just really shocked. I've known Bryce since he was three years old. Hes a great kid, very conscious. His was in the reserves. Very responsible."

There is one clue from Evans life that could lead somewhere, she said. He loves hiking, which she believes could have led him to Cherokee.

"There's nothing to lead me, his family, or friends to believe anything other than that something has happened to him," Haynes said.

Vehicle of missing Tennessee man found parked at remote trailhead in GSMNP | WPDE
he family of a missing Tennessee man told News 13 that his vehicle was found in a remote part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Thursday evening, Aug. 4.

Bryce Evans' 2017 grey Nissan Altima was found at a hiking trailhead in the park, the family said.

Evans, 23, was last seen Sunday, July 31, before traveling from Knoxville, Tennessee, to UNC Charlotte, where he has a summer internship. His phone last pinged off a cell tower in Cherokee but has since been turned off.

A National Park Service spokesperson said Friday officials conducted a brief search Thursday night but suspended it due to darkness. The search began again Friday morning in the Balsam Mountain area of the park, officials said.

The Evans family said Bryce is an Eagle Scout as well as a member of the Tennessee National Guard.

 

[wendybtn]

He's not in med school. It says pre-med which could be anything really. So even if he is close to graduation- he would not be starting med school until 2023 (typical US medical schools begin only 1 class/ year and those in July-August.)

Being pre-med, I assume he is studying at UT-Knoxville. If he was in med school through UT, he would be in Memphis studying.

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

There doesn’t appear to actually be a Heintooga Rd, but there are Heintooga Ridge and Heintooga Bottom Roads in the area. I know the area is described as remote, but there is a Balsam Mountain campground and some trailheads nearby-ish. The weather in the area appears to have had lows in the mid sixties and highs mostly in the mid-eighties, with some light rain. He at least has that going for him.

 

[borndem]

Not a lot of new news, but here is a bit of an article from WRAL, Raleigh, NC:
-------------------------------

Missing college student's car found in remote part of NC mountains as search continues​

Posted August 5, 2022 1:38 p.m. EDT
Updated August 5, 2022 4:22 p.m. EDT
By Samiar Nefzi, WLOS
Cherokee, N.C. — A University of Tennessee at Knoxville student was on his way to Charlotte to finish up a summer internship. That's the last time anyone saw him before he went missing in a remote areas of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park near Cherokee, NC.
His car, however, was found at a hiking trailhead in a "very remote part" of the park, according to a Facebook post by his sister Analiese Evans. She wrote that two women happened to turn down the wrong road and discovered his car on the dirt path.

According to her, police conducted a brief search, but it was suspended due to darkness. Her post says they resumed their search on Friday and may be using dogs to help.
------------------------
More here:

Missing college student's car found in remote part of NC mountains as search continues :: WRAL.com

A University of Tennessee at Knoxville student was on his way to Charlotte, North Carolina to finish up a summer internship. That's the last time anyone saw him on July 31 before he went missing.

www.wral.com

 

[avlmtns]

Update: Body of missing Tennessee man found off remote trail in GSMNP, officials say

UPDATE, 5:55 p. m. Friday, Aug. 5: The body of missing Tennessee man Bryce Evans was found just after 11 a. m. Friday, Aug.

wlos.com

The body of missing Tennessee man Bryce Evans was found just after 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, in a remote section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Balsam Mountain.

So sad.