22 Jul 2026, Wed

Car Belonging to Man Missing Since 2003 Found Submerged in North Carolina Creek

A 22-Year-Old Mystery Resurfaces

A vehicle belonging to a man who vanished more than two decades ago has been recovered from a creek in eastern North Carolina, according to the Nash County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies announced Thursday that a 1992 Pontiac Grand Am connected to Travis Lamont Lynch was found submerged in Turkey Creek along Old Middlesex Road, discovered Wednesday afternoon after authorities received a report of a vehicle in the water.

Last Seen on Christmas Eve, 2003

Lynch was last seen on the morning of Christmas Eve in 2003, according to investigators. He had reportedly left his girlfriend’s home in Middlesex and was driving back to his residence in Wilson, but he never arrived, and his disappearance has remained unsolved ever since.

FBI Assists With Evidence Recovery

After deputies responded to the scene and removed the vehicle from the creek, Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone requested help from the FBI’s Submersion Evidence Team to conduct further investigation in and around the recovery site. The sheriff’s office has been clear that recovering the vehicle does not yet provide answers about Lynch’s whereabouts, and authorities have not reported finding Lynch or any human remains in connection with the car.

A Multi-Agency Recovery Effort

The recovery involved several agencies working together, including the Bailey Fire Department, Middlesex Fire Department, Rocky Mount Fire Department, the Rocky Mount Dive Team, Nash County Emergency Medical Services, and the FBI.

Investigation Continues

The case remains under active investigation as authorities work to determine how the vehicle ended up in the creek and whether the discovery offers any new leads into Lynch’s disappearance. The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information related to Lynch’s disappearance or the recovered vehicle to contact them at 252-459-4121. The discovery marks the first significant development in a case that has remained unresolved since that Christmas Eve more than 20 years ago.

By John Lloyd

John Lloyd writes for The Auto Wire, where he covers the more entertaining corners of the car world—celebrity rides, motorsports drama, and whatever automotive thing happens to be blowing up online that week. He's drawn to where cars meet culture. One day that's breaking down why some celebrity dropped a fortune on a hypercar; the next it's explaining why a particular model is suddenly all over everyone's feed. He likes handing readers the context behind the headline, usually with a little attitude. The way John sees it, cars aren't just transportation—they're status symbols, money pits, lifelong obsessions, and occasionally pure chaos, and that's exactly the stuff worth writing about.