Remains of missing Charlotte man found in rug in vehicle at scrapyard
An employee at a Davidson County scrapyard discovered the skeletal remains of a 53-year-old north Charlotte man who went missing in 2016, the co-owner of the business said Wednesday.
Jeremy Justice, who co-owns Leonard’s Salvage near Lexington, said an employee found the remains of Lee Anthony Funderbunk in a vehicle on May 14 after it was sold to the business the day before.
The scrapyard checks vehicles before crushing them or shredding them to make sure there’s nothing inside that could damage machinery.
An employee was shaken up after finding the remains in of a rug lying inside of the vehicle, Justice said. He closed the next day to allow the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office to investigate.
Investigators learned the vehicle was registered to Funderburk’s mother, Mattie Mae Funderburk, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department press release said.
The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said it was the vehicle Lee Funderburk was using before he went missing.
Family reported Funderburk, who was 44 at the time, missing on May 31, 2016, from the 9900 block of Clairemore Place. He was last seen on March 25, 2016, the sheriff’s office said.
CMPD said his death was a homicide. The sheriff’s office said the homicide didn’t occur in Davidson County.
Police are asking people with information to reach out to the CMPD homicide unit at 704-432-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, or online at Charlotte Crime Stoppers.
Justice said he had a “very, very good” conversation with Funderburk’s family since his remains were discovered. He said he hoped the discovery helps bring them some closure.
They were “very thankful,” he said, to get information “they’ve been praying for for nine years.”
This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 10:19 AM.
