On March 6, 2022, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of New Hope Church Rd. reference to human remains being located in a wooded area. The remains were collected and sent to the North Carolina state medical examiner’s office for identification. On March 23, 2022, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division received confirmation from the state crime lab that the DNA examined from the remains were that of Mr. Michael Dwayne Wilkerson who was originally reported missing on September 24, 2011. The family has been notified.
The cause of death is unknown and the investigation is ongoing.
Michael Dwayne Wilkerson, age 34, was last seen by family on September 15, 2011, in the area of Burney Road and New Hope Church Road in Asheboro, North Carolina.
A wrecked pickup truck was located September 15, 2011, that had his cell phone in it but there was no one in or around the totaled truck. The last call made on Michael's phone had been made about 2:30 am. A highway patrol trooper arrived on the scene at approximately 5:15 am in response to a passerby's report of the wreck.