Kenneth Robert McCarthy.

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A group of college students helped unravel a nine-year mystery when they identified remains found in North Carolina woods as a missing New Jersey man.

The case dates back to Jan. 29, 2016, when human skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area near the 5800 block of University Pointe Boulevard in Charlotte, according to a release from Ramapo College.

The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the victim was male, but the condition of the remains made it impossible to determine the cause or manner of death. Police said there were no obvious signs of foul play.

Detectives tried to identify the victim using traditional methods but were unsuccessful, according to the report. In 2022, a bone sample was sent to Othram Labs in Texas for advanced DNA testing, where a genetic profile was created and uploaded to the genealogy databases GEDmatch and Family Tree DNA. But early searches did not produce any leads.

Enter: the Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGGC).

In 2025, CMPD partnered with IGGC, a volunteer team of student and professional genealogists, who worked for more than six months and logged hundreds of research hours on the case. Their work produced a possible identity for the victim: Kenneth Robert McCarthy, born in 1961.

Detectives contacted his family and learned their loved one had been missing since 2013. A DNA profile from a close relative later confirmed the findings.

McCarthy was originally from New Jersey and had been living in Charlotte at the time of his last contact, Ramapo College said. His brother, Michael McCarthy, lives in Hillsborough with his wife, Nancy. 

The couple told NBC News that after "so much time had passed" they figured they'd never have an answer.

His family told investigators he worked in the IT field for various major corporations, and they never stopped searching for him. The family expressed gratitude for the many team members who helped identify him.

CMPD thanked Othram Labs, GEDmatch, Family Tree DNA, First Genes, the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification and the Ramapo College genealogy team. Special thanks were extended to the volunteer investigative genetic genealogists who worked the case.

The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 704-432-8477 and speak with a Homicide Unit detective. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or through the P3 Tips Mobile App.