Deputies have now confirmed that a person of interest in two missing women has been taken into custody in McDowell County.
Public Information Assistant Richelle Bailey of the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said Cecil Scott Byrd, 41, of Bad Creek Road, Bakersville, was arrested on an outstanding warrant. He was transported to the McDowell County Jail for questioning as of deadline Wednesday.
“We received information this afternoon concerning the whereabouts of Byrd. He had an outstanding warrant in McDowell County for identity theft,” she said. “Through the information we received, authorities knew he was going to be on 221 North.”
Bailey said Byrd’s mother had picked him up at a location on U.S. 221 and he was stopped by authorities near Baxter Healthcare.
“A vehicle stop was initiated by McDowell, Mitchell and SBI,” she said. “He was a passenger in the vehicle and was taken into custody for the identity theft warrant.”
Deputies issued a BOLO on Tuesday for Byrd’s whereabouts in reference to missing person Sarah Denise Riddle from McDowell County. He was also wanted for questioning in the October disappearance of Lisa Ann Robbins.
WLOS-TV reported Wednesday afternoon that both Mitchell, McDowell and SBI officials discovered human remains along Highway 226 near the Tennessee state line. The news station said authorities were collecting evidence along the side of the road that were sent for DNA analysis. Mitchell County Sheriff Donald Street told WLOS-TV reporters Byrd’s black Chevy truck had been recovered and was in police custody.
