Missing Charlotte man found dead in remote part of nature preserve, NC police say

A Charlotte man who vanished last week has been found dead at a nature preserve on the campus of Catawba College in Salisbury, according to police.

Carlos Enrique Leon Aristoteles, 38, was reported missing to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police on Friday, May 29, officials said.

His body was discovered around 2 p.m Wednesday at the Catawba College ecological preserve, Salisbury police said in a June 4 news release.

“Upon arrival, detectives spoke with a college employee who reported discovering an adult male in a remote area of the preserve, who appeared to be deceased,” police said.

“Detectives immediately secured the scene and began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. ... Authorities have also confirmed that he was not a Rowan County resident or a student at Catawba College.”

An investigation is underway to determine how Aristoteles died, officials said.

“There is no current indication of an active threat to the community,” police said.

The 189-acre ecological preserve is adjacent to the campus and “is managed and maintained by the Center for the Environment staff, Catawba students, and volunteers,” the college says. Maps show the preserve has a lake and multiple trails ranging from about a half a mile in length to nearly a mile.

Salisbury is about a 40-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 2:25 PM.