Trio Guilty of Concealing Human Remains in Burke County

Three individuals—Robert Ford Dale Jr., Rocky Lee Dale, and Lorie Knight Stevens—have pleaded guilty to concealing the death of Mark Mitchell, whose body was discovered by kayakers along the Johns River near Corpening Bridge Road in Burke County, North Carolina. The trio received prison sentences ranging from just over three years to nearly a decade, with Dale Jr. receiving the longest term. Authorities had arrested them in September 2024 after executing a search warrant at their shared Morganton residence. All three were initially charged with felony concealment of death and disturbing human remains. Officials have not released information about the cause of Mitchell's death, but the legal proceedings against those responsible for hiding his body have concluded. The case began when kayakers found the remains on August 30, 2024, prompting a multi-agency investigation.