Body found in woods believed to be man wanted in North Carolina triple homicide

Searchers on Friday night found a body believed to be a man wanted in connection with a North Carolina triple homicide.

The badly decomposed body was found at about 7:30 p.m. in thick woods about a mile from Kenneth Douglas Powell's apartment in the 100 block of Carolina Street in Morganton, the Burke County Sheriff's office said in a statement at 10:30 p.m..

A revolver was found beside the body and will be compared with the bullets from the victims’ bodies, according to the sheriff's office.

More forensic investigation will be completed to determine if the body is Powell, the sheriff's office said.

.Authorities identified Powell as a person of interest in the June 8 shootings.

Trae Ward, 23, Pamela Ward, 57, and Jimmy Stamey, 22, were found dead at a home in the 3400 block of Enola Road, south of Morganton and just north of South Mountains State Park. A child was found alive in the home.

Powell was known by the victims, sheriff's officials said. His body was found about 75 yards off the end of Henrys Glen Drive, according to the sheriff's statement.

Anyone who saw Powell near Henrys Glen Drive on the night of June 7 or the morning of June 8 is asked to call Burke County 911 at 828-438-5500.

This story was originally published June 15, 2018 at 11:53 PM with the headline "Body found in woods believed to be man wanted in North Carolina triple homicide."