Teen Reported Missing After Not Showing Up to Thanksgiving, Homicide Investigation
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- Joseph Rose, 18, was found dead on Dec. 12 in Candler, N.C., authorities said
- Rose had been reported missing to the Asheville Police Department on Dec. 2 after last being heard from on Nov. 24
- His sister previously said Rose planned to come to Thanksgiving dinner but never arrived
The death of an 18-year-old North Carolina teen who was reported missing after failing to show up for Thanksgiving dinner is now being investigated as a homicide, authorities said.
In an update posted Dec. 16, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said preliminary autopsy results led investigators to classify the death of Joseph Rose as a homicide. Rose was found deceased on Dec. 12 near 69 Gilbert B. Crook Road in Candler, per the update.
Rose had been reported missing to the Asheville Police Department on Dec. 2, the sheriff’s office said.
PEOPLE previously reported that Rose was last heard from on Nov. 24, according to his sister, Emily Ivory Rose, who said he had plans to come to Thanksgiving dinner but never arrived and had not been in contact with anyone since.
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Although police did not initially release details about where Rose’s body was found, Emily said that her brother was discovered “in a ditch,” PEOPLE reported, adding that the family was still trying to “make sense of everything that’s happened.”
“He’s just a baby, you know, and he’s just so special,” Emily said at the time. “And I [am] just always worried about him.”
At the time Rose was found, authorities said the circumstances surrounding his death were unknown and under investigation.
Ashville Police Department
In the Dec. 16 update, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said its Criminal Investigations Division is continuing to work the case, which is now considered a pending criminal investigation.
“Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office personnel are working to bring answers for Mr. Rose’s family,” BCSO District 2 Captain Chris Stockton said in a statement. “BCSO personnel are committed to finding answers through a thorough investigation. These can take time and we appreciate the continued patience for us to follow through with that process.”
The sheriff’s office said it will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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