An 83-year-old Moore County man who had been the subject of a Missing Endangered Alert has been found dead in his car in Chatham County.
Jessie Thomas Lethco was discovered around noon Wednesday in his brown 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass, which had been pulled onto the right shoulder of U.S. Highway 421 near the intersection with Alton King Road.
Moore County News was at the scene as authorities investigated.
Lethco’s daughter, Leah Lethco Harris, confirmed in a Facebook post that her father had passed away. She wrote, “He loved to ride and so I guess he died doing what he loved.”
Lethco had last been seen on May 10 at his home in Eagle Springs. Authorities had issued a statewide alert due to concerns he was suffering from a cognitive impairment.
The cause of death remains under investigation, though authorities do not suspect foul play at this time.
A Moore County native who has spent more than 20 years telling stories across North Carolina and beyond. He’s worked with CNN, WRAL, and CBS 17, and now serves as a Video Journalist for ABC11. Patrick has a passion for breaking news and has earned multiple awards for his coverage. He’s also a certified NWS SKYWARN Storm Spotter and was among the first news videographers in the state to become an FAA-certified drone pilot.