ALBEMARLE — A five-day search for the remains of Albemarle teen Baylee Carver ended Tuesday afternoon when she was found in Cabarrus County.
The 17-year old’s boyfriend, Joshua Biles, 20, is charged with felony obstruction and concealment of death and is currently in custody at the Stanly County Jail under a $250,000 bond.
Carver’s body was located in Cabarrus County, just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, north of Highway 49 and Route 601, concluding a search that extended from Friday morning to Tuesday afternoon. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the circumstances of her death.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of Baylee Carver,” Albemarle Police Chief Jason Bollhorst said in a statement. “As they mourn their loss, our hearts are with them during this difficult time. The Albemarle Police Department is grateful for all of the assistance and resources provided throughout the course of this search. The investigation is still ongoing.”
On May 10 at 4:30 a.m., Albemarle PD received a 911 call from a residence on Floral Drive stating they needed immediate police assistance.
When police arrived, Biles told officers that his girlfriend was deceased and that he had disposed of her body using his vehicle, after which he had returned back to the residence.
The 20-year-old provided law enforcement no information regarding the body’s whereabouts and has not admitted to an crime, police confirmed Tuesday.
APD secured the scene and requested North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to assist in processing all parts of the crime scene including the vehicle.
As the investigation proceeded, APD and the NCSBI said Baylee Carver was presumed dead and the search for her remains began.
The APD, NCSBI and the National Center for Exploited/Missing Children were among the agencies represented by some 70-plus law enforcement, fire, and search and rescue officials for a search effort across significant portions of Cabarrus, Rowan and Stanly Counties.
Searchers spent more than 50 hours across 1,000 miles since Friday with the help of specially-trained K-9’s, aerial support, and GPS mapping technologies to ensure all areas were covered.
In a Tuesday afternoon press conference just two hours before Carver’s remains were found, the APD responded to questions about why the department waited until Monday to tow away the suspect vehicle, which had remained in plain sight at the residence.
Community members who saw blood in Biles’ car reportedly called law enforcement, who subsequently returned to the home and towed the vehicle away.
“The SBI processed both home and vehicle on Friday. As standard procedures, the home and vehicle were turned back over to the owners of the property with the conclusion of that processing,” Bollhorst said on Tuesday. “To avoid any confusion about whether the vehicle needed to be located, the Albemarle Police Department impounded the vehicle Monday evening.”
The police department is asking for the public’s assistance in the case by checking surveillance cameras for footage on May 10 between the hours of 3 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. for any activity involving a 1999 two-door red Honda Civic with black wheels and tag number RHC-1776.
Anyone with information is asked to call the APD at 704-984-9500.