UPDATE (4 p.m. Saturday) — The Pender County Sheriff’s Office has identified the body found Friday morning in Rocky Point as Christopher Duane Stewart, who was 23 at the time of his passing.
The investigation is being treated as a homicide, officials said. Stewart was a student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he was a junior.
“This occurred at Millers Pond Park located at 12762 US Hwy 117 South in Rocky Point,” according to a release sent Saturday afternoon.
PENDER COUNTY — The Pender County Sheriff’s Office said a body was discovered on Friday morning, following the discovery of a missing Wilmington woman’s body on Thursday evening.
Captain James Rowell said the investigation is not related to the death of Hannah Faith.
“The Pender County Sheriffs Office is conducting a death investigation at Millers Pond Park near the New Hanover/Pender County line on US Hwy 117 South in Rocky Point,” according to a statement released Friday afternoon.
Although Rowell confirmed that a body was discovered on Friday morning, he said he could not provide any more information until an autopsy is performed and the investigation is further along.
“I know with both of [the investigations], there is not a lot of information being shared, but that’s just because of the [ongoing] investigations with each of them. And they’re no way related to each other,” Rowell said.
He said more information regarding the death of Hannah Faith is also expected once an autopsy is performed.
