An employee at a Lexington scrapyard made a discovery that has reignited questions surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Lee Anthony Funderburk.

The skeletal remains of Funderburk, a Charlotte man missing for nearly nine years, were found concealed in the trunk of a salvaged vehicle at Leonard Salvage in Davidson County, prompting authorities to launch a homicide investigation. According to WXII 12 News, the remains were identified by the Medical Examiner’s office after the vehicle arrived at the scrapyard on May 13, 2025.

Funderburk was reported missing by his family on May 31, 2016, and was last seen in the Charlotte area on March 25, 2016. For nearly a decade, his case remained unsolved, with investigators pursuing leads but never finding a breakthrough—until the recent discovery brought new attention and urgency to the investigation.

Discovery at Lexington scrapyard uncovers long-missing Charlotte man

The chain of events began on May 14, when an employee at Leonard Salvage on Old US Highway 52 in Lexington was working on a newly arrived vehicle and discovered human remains in the trunk. Authorities were alerted immediately, and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. Investigators quickly determined that the remains had been concealed for a significant period.

The vehicle in question, according to investigators, belonged to Funderburk’s mother, Mattie Mae Funderburk. It had been removed from Charlotte just a day before the grisly discovery and transported to the Lexington scrapyard. The Medical Examiner’s office was able to identify the remains as those of Lee Anthony Funderburk, confirming his identity nearly nine years after he was first reported missing.

Davidson County Sheriff Richie Simmons emphasized that neither the people who sold the car to the salvage yard nor employees at Leonard Salvage are considered suspects in Funderburk’s death. The business was shut down for a day to allow the investigation to proceed without interference.

Jurisdictional questions and law enforcement response

Initial findings by Davidson County investigators indicated that the homicide did not occur within their county lines. Instead, the evidence pointed to events taking place elsewhere—possibly in Charlotte, where Funderburk was last seen. As a result, all findings and evidence have been turned over to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), which is now leading the investigation into Funderburk’s death.

Sheriff Simmons expressed relief that his office could provide some closure to Funderburk’s family after such a long and painful wait. He said:

Almost nine years is an extremely long time. I couldn’t imagine what they must be going through, but we’re very happy that we could give them some closure.

CMPD has not released further details regarding potential suspects or specific circumstances surrounding Funderburk’s death. The vehicle’s route and location over the past nine years remain unclear, adding to the complexity of the case.

Unanswered questions and call for public assistance

The discovery of Funderburk’s remains has brought renewed focus to the unanswered questions that have lingered since his disappearance. Authorities are still working to determine how and when Funderburk was killed, the exact timeline of the vehicle’s movements, and who is responsible for his death. With the investigation now under the jurisdiction of CMPD, detectives are seeking any information that could help solve the case.

Officials have urged anyone with information to contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at (704) 336-4978. The hope is that members of the public may be able to provide crucial details that fill in the gaps and lead to justice for Funderburk and his family. While the people who last sold the car are not considered suspects, and employees at Leonard Salvage have been cleared of involvement, the investigation remains ongoing.

Funderburk’s family and the search for justice moves forward

Lee Anthony Funderburk’s disappearance began in Charlotte, where he was last seen on March 25, 2016. His family reported him missing on May 31 that year, sparking a search that lasted nearly a decade. The recent discovery in Davidson County has transformed the missing person’s case into an active homicide investigation.

The vehicle containing Funderburk’s remains, once belonging to his mother, was only recently transported from Charlotte to Lexington’s Leonard Salvage, where the remains were ultimately discovered. The Medical Examiner’s identification brought an agonizing chapter to a close for the Funderburk family, but many questions still persist about the circumstances of his death.