LINCOLNTON, N.C. — The death of a missing Lincolnton man is being investigated as a homicide, police told Channel 9 on Thursday morning.
Family members reported Tony Maddox missing a week ago after he didn’t show up for work at McDonald’s. His abandoned car was located near Elm Lane in south Charlotte.
Investigators found his body six days later in a wooded area along Clark Creek Road near where his cellphone pinged.
“It’s really scary because this has always been a great neighborhood,” said Lynn Smith, who lives near where the body was found.
She wonders how Smith got there.
That area is not far from the mechanic where Maddox often went to get his car repaired.
“He was just in here a couple of months ago. He had a really, really good nature about him. A good personality,” said Josh Roberts, mechanic.
People who remember him said they were worried sick when they heard he was missing.
They are thinking about Maddox’s family.
“Hope they get some closure and find out what happened and why,” Roberts said.
The police chief said on Thursday that he is not sharing details about the autopsy or their investigation. He believes they are making progress answering those key questions to close this case.
Investigators have a person of interest.
The State Bureau of Investigation is assisting local police.
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