McCreary County Coroner’s Office

03/05/2026

Public Notice – Case Update

The Scott County Sheriff’s Office would like to provide an update regarding the human remains that were discovered on February 28, 2026, in the Ditney Mountain area of Pioneer, TN.

The remains have now been positively identified as Justin Lowe. Justin was last seen on May 5, 2022, at the age of 41, near a residence in the Widows Lane area of Pioneer.

Justin’s family has been notified of this development.

We extend our deepest condolences to Justin’s family and loved ones. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they process this heartbreaking news and navigate this very difficult time.

-Sheriff Brian Keeton & Staff-

10/15/2023

McCreary County Coroners Office reports they received a call from McCreary County Sheriffs Office on Saturday, October 14th, 2023 at approximately 5:20pm and was informed that skeleton remains have been found in Revelo/Stearns area. Upon arrival we was directed in the direction of the skeleton remains, Deputy Coroner Cameron Gilreath collected the skeleton remains and pronounced at 6:00pm. With the assistance of Sheriff David Sampson, Cheif Deputy Dustin Ridner, Deputy Greg Rhoades and Scott County Detective David Stephens. The skeleton remains will be sent to Kentucky Medical Examiners Office in Frankfort Kentucky for further identification of remains.

07/05/2023

McCreary County Deputy Coroner Cameron Gilreath reports that on Tuesday, July 4th, 2023 the McCreary County Dispatch was informed that a body had been found at 700 Webster rd Whitley city, Ky and dispatch made contact with McCreary County Coroners Office, McCreary County Sheriffs Office, Whitley City Fire Department, McCreary Emergency Management, and South McCreary Fire Department. Upon arrival at the residence, we were informed that the body was about half mile down in a wooded area from the east side of the residents. As we approached the body in the wooded area Deputy Gilreath pronounced the body deceased at 6:12pm. We was able to match some of the descriptions found on scene to match up with Henry S Lang, a missing person case we have here in McCreary County. The remains was collected and transported to McCreary County Coroners Office. Further investigation was done at the office by Deputy Gilreath, where a wallet with the id, debt card, credit card, PayPal card, concealed carry permit card, and insurance card was found with the name of Henry S Lang of McCreary County.

The remains are believed to be Thirty-eight year old Henry Stuart Lang that was last seen at approximately 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 13, 2023 when he left his residence at 700 Webster Road (off of Beulah Heights Road in Whitley City, KY) to take his garbage out. Lang never returned to the residence. The garbage was deposited in the proper location at the residence. The remains have been transported to the Medical Examiners Office in Frankfort Kentucky for further identification and determination of death.

The incident remains under investigation by McCreary County Coroners Office and McCreary County Sheriffs Office.

06/14/2023

05/24/2023

McCreary County Coroners Office gives an update on the unidentified male individual that was recovered and pronounced deceased on Monday, May 1st, 2023, at 03:02pm from the Daniel Boone National Forest just off Nathan Nevels Rd in Whitley City, Ky 42653.

Deputy Coroner Cameron Gilreath reports, that as of Wednesday, May 24th, 2023, the unidentified male individual still remains unidentified by the Kentucky State Medical Examiners Office in Frankfort Kentucky. It has been little over three weeks since the body has been recovered and transported to the Medical Examiners Office. Week 1 and 2 resulted in, blood being drawn and sent off for toxicology testing, determining cause of death, and sent to fingerprint laboratory to try and hydrate the hands to be fingerprinted to try and determine identification. The fingerprint laboratory was unable to determine the identification of the male individual, so that resulted in the DNA laboratory starting an identification lab on blood work. The DNA laboratory said it could take anywhere from a few days to 6 weeks before results coming back to determine possible identification. We will update as we are updated.

05/02/2023

McCreary County Coroner Tim Corder reports the McCreary County Dispatch was informed that two teenage individuals stumbled upon a deceased male individual under a cliff line on Nathan Nevels road off Beulah Heights Rd. Monday, May 1st, 2023, the recovery of the unidentified male individual began As McCreary County Coroner’s Office, South Mccreary Fire Department, Whitley City Fire Department, McCreary Emergency Management, and North McCreary Fire Department started clearing trails to reach the deceased male individual. At 3:02pm Deputy Coroner Cameron Gilreath pronounced the deceased male individual and then the process of carrying the body out took place. The body was brought back to the McCreary County Coroners office where Coroner Tim Corder and Deputy Coroner Cameron Gilreath attempted to identify the male and was unable to do so. The unidentified male individual has been sent to the Kentucky Medical Examiners Office in Frankfort Kentucky for autopsy and identification.

The incident remains under investigation by McCreary County Sheriff’s Office and McCreary County Coroners Office.

04/23/2023

03/30/2023

McCreary County Deputy Coroner Cameron Gilreath reports on Wednesday, March 29th, 2023, at around 5:45am EST, he was dispatched by McCreary 911 to a structure fire off Johns Rd in Pine Knot for a report of a house fire fatality.

Deputy Gilreath arrived on scene and pronounced what appeared to be a deceased male individual at 6:18am, that was found inside the extinguished structure fire. The body could not be identified and was removed from the scene, and was sent to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort Kentucky for autopsy and identification. On Thursday, March 30th, 2023, the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office completed the autopsy and identified the deceased male as Retired Kentucky State Trooper Philip A. Hayes age 57 of Pine Knot Ky.

Assisting at the scene was McCreary County Sheriff’s Office, McCreary County Ambulance Service, Pine Knot Fire Department, Whitley City Fire Department, and Kentucky State Police.

The incident remains under investigation.

02/10/2023

ALERT UPDATE: Per our Missing Persons Unit. We are CANCELING this request. Mr. King was located safely this morning 2-10-23 as of 145am. No other information is available. Thank you for helping us get the word out.

ENDANGERED MISSING PERSONS ALERT: Our Missing Persons Unit has issued a "Golden Alert" for Delmon King. He is 96. He's in need of medication. Last seen on 2/9/23 from the 4600 blk of Flintlock. Call 911 or 574-LMPD (5673) with info on his whereabouts.

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