NC Man Who Went Missing in Croatan National Forest Now Arrested For Murder
posted by Jacqueline Leibman | March 28, 2022 | In NewsOn May 29, 2021, WCTI 12 reported Joshua Kenneth Clauson, 20, missing in the Croatan National Forest after being separated from a family member while out on a walk. Now, however, Clauson is in custody under murder charges.
According to WITN, Clauson’s brother-in-law made his way out of the woods by listening to the sounds of passing cars on a road nearby. When the missing person’s report was filed last year, Carteret County law officials were told that the two men had entered the forest together, but somehow became separated.
The environment, which is full of dense vegetation, made the search efforts difficult for the various emergency response crews. After a five-day search, where all leads had been exhausted, the search efforts were called off.
Sheriff Asa Buck told WITN that Clauson emerged from the forest three days later—surviving a total of eight days in the forest—with significant bug bites and scratches; he was found after asking the nearest neighbor for help.
“Josh is in fairly rough shape,” Buck said to WITN. “As you can imagine, having been out in the in the woods and in the elements for that period of time without proper nutrition, and lack of adequate clothing to deal with the elements for being out there for that period of time.”
Almost a year later, Clauson is making headlines again, this time on suspected murder charges.
Clauson was arrested on March 20 for the murder of Daniel Brisson. The 46-year-old Newport man’s body was found Sunday morning lying on Harris Road, off U.S. 70, west of Morehead City, reported WITN.
Clauson, who is now homeless, briefly appeared in court last Tuesday before a Carteret County District Court judge located in Beaufort. WITN reports that he will remain in jail without bond till his next court date on April 1.
Clauson’s connection to Brisson has not been released and authorities have not said whether his disappearance last May was related to the murder charges.
Photo courtesy of Kristy Dactyl.
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