On Tuesday, October 23rd, rangers were advised to be on the lookout for a missing and suicidal man from Virginia Beach. The 44-year-old man was thought to have a 9mm Beretta handgun in his possession. Four days later, on Saturday, October 27th, rangers closing ORV access ramps due to the approach of Hurricane Sandy came upon a pickup truck matching the description of the one the man was driving, but with nobody around. County dispatch confirmed that this was the vehicle associated with the missing man. Rangers Mark Krebs, Peter Malionek and Benjamin Brdlik started a search of the area – beaches, campground, parking lots and restrooms – in an effort to find him, but eventually had to suspend the search due to darkness and deteriorating weather conditions. The search for the man resumed after the storm passed. On Wednesday, November 7th, park staff found a body in the dunes and brush. Investigation confirmed that it was the man’s body and that he’d died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Beretta was recovered at the scene.

Contact Information
Name: David W. Carter, Hatteras District Ranger