Gathering of scientists along river turns grisly when they find a body, NC cops say

University scientists conducting tests in the murky Cape Fear River got more than they bargained for when a body appeared, according to the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation.

It happened around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, in the stretch of the river through eastern Fayetteville, about a 65-mile drive southwest from Raleigh.

The man has been identified as Gregory Scott Wester, 51, of Fuquay-Varina, and a cause of death has yet to be determined, officials said.

“A group of scientists conducting water tests made the discovery,” the bureau said in a news release.

“The recovery of the body was delayed due to fallen trees and debris resulting from past hurricanes.”

Wester was reported missing on Feb. 8, the SBI said. His vehicle was later found near Linden, about a 25-mile drive south from where he was last seen in the Old Mill Road area of Fuquay-Varina, officials said.

“Mr. Wester’s remains have been sent to the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy. The SBI investigation is ongoing,” officials said.

It’s suspected the body may have drifted from another county before coming to rest at a spot between River Road and Highway 295, officials said.

Investigators did not released details of the university involved in the water research.

The Cape Fear River watershed begins north of Greensboro, about a 95-mile drive northwest of Fayetteville, and covers 9,000 square miles, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There are “more than 1,100 dams and blockages” on the river, experts say.

This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 7:26 AM.