Man caught driving vehicle of deceased person faces additional charges, authorities say
Scotty Styles was caught driving the vehicle of a deceased person and now faces additional charges
By Kari Barrows
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MCDOWELL COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — A man who was discovered driving the vehicle of another man who had been found deceased in Old Fort is now facing additional charges.
A release from the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office Monday evening said 48-year-old Scotty Keith Styles was charged with felonious Breaking or Entering a Motor Vehicle, three counts of felonious Financial Card Theft, felonious Larceny of a Firearm, Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon and felonious Concealment/Failure to Report a Death.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office confirmed by email with News 13 that the charge of felonious Concealment/Failure to Report a Death was directly related to the death investigation of 22-year-old DeAndre Clark, who was previously reported missing from Asheville.
The Asheville Police Department reported Clark was last seen on April 18, 2024 around 3 p.m. by his mother in the Hillcrest Apartments before he was reported missing. On April 22, 2024, McDowell County deputies discovered Clark’s body behind an abandoned business on Batcave Road in the Old Fort community.
On April 29, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said deputies and the U.S. Marshals Service took Styles into custody “after officers with the Black Mountain Police Department provided information that Styles was operating the vehicle of DeAndre Clark on the 23rd in Black Mountain.” At that time, authorities said Styles had been charged with felonious Larceny and felonious Breaking or Entering of a Motor Vehicle in regard to Clark’s vehicle.
In their June 10 release, the sheriff’s office said, “Further evidence in the investigation led to the additional charges against Styles.” No other details were given.
Styles was issued a $20,500 secured bond.
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