WESTFIELD, NC (LOOTPRESS) – Human remains beneath the floor of a pre-existing structure in North Carolina have been identified as a Virginia woman who went missing in 2018.
On Monday, October 17, 2022, the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Stokes County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, executed a search warrant for the property of 1791 Asbury Road, Westfield, North Carolina. The search was conducted to obtain information, evidence, and any other leads related to the missing person investigation of Sarah Ashley Hill who was originally reported missing out of Patrick County, Virginia.
According to Surry County Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt, numerous investigators from the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, Stokes County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation and search on Monday, October 17, 2022. Detectives brought in specialized personnel to utilize heavy equipment to move dirt and terrain and stabilize an existing structure. Stokes County Sheriff Joey Lemons mentioned that the search led detectives to locate human remains. The human remains were located beneath the floor of a pre-existing structure. The human remains were sent to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. On Thursday, October 20, 2022, an autopsy was performed and confirmed that the human remains were of Sarah Ashley Hill.
Sarah Ashley Hill was reported missing to the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office in August 2018. The Patrick County Sheriff’s Office reached out to the Surry County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in the investigation. According to the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office incident report, Ms. Hill had not been seen or heard from since June 2018. During the investigation, the Surry County Sheriff’s Office checked several locations throughout the county, which included three different properties on King Park Circle, Mount Airy, North Carolina. The continued investigation led detectives to the property located in Stokes County, North Carolina. Ms. Hill was last seen at that property around the time of her disappearance.
On October 20, 2022, detectives with the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, Stokes County Sheriff’s Office, Patrick County Sheriff’s Office, and agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation notified the family of Ms. Hill. Both Sheriff Lemons and Sheriff Hiatt indicated that our law enforcement families are keeping Ms. Hill’s family in their thoughts and prayers. The investigation is ongoing at this time. Little to no additional information will be released to protect the integrity of the investigation.
If anyone has any information regarding the death of Ms. Hill, they are strongly encouraged to contact the Stokes County Sheriff’s Office and/or the Surry County Sheriff’s Office.