Kevin Hamby's disappearance had sparked many rumors and conspiracy theories, GDA Russell Johnson said.
It has been an unsolved mystery that had stumped officials in Tennessee for over three years: Last seen riding his off-road vehicle on November 14, 2017, 38-year-old Kevin Hamby vanished without a trace.
On Monday, Hamby’s Polaris RZR and a shoe were found near Pilot Mountain. Authorities searched the area on Tuesday and discovered a human skull. Nearby, they also found a pair of blue jeans, a belt, a hoodie, revolver, and pocket knife, all of which belonged to Hamby, 9th Judicial District Attorney General Russell Johnson said in a statement.
The skull was identified as belonging to a male, according to Dr. Murray Marks, a professor at UT Hospital. However, it has not yet been confirmed that the skull was Hamby’s. The Morgan County Sheriff's Department has Hamby’s DNA, said Johnson's statement. The skull will be transferred to the Knox County forensic center in Tennessee and sent on to Texas for DNA comparison testing.
The RZR was found lodged against a tree, according to Morgan County Sheriff Wayne Potter. A VIN number confirmed that the RZR belonged to Hamby and the shoe that was left behind was confirmed by a family member as belonging to Hamby, WLTV News8 reported.
Officials said an impact mark was found on the tree where the RZR hit the tree and are investigating the markings to determine when the RZR had an impact with the tree, the news outlet reported.
On Wednesday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation Unit Critical Incident Response Team (THP) sent one of its larger helicopters to try and remove the off-road vehicle from its location, with help from the THP Knoxville District and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office that is believed to belong to Hamby, a report said
Hamby’s disappearance had sparked many a theory over the years, Johnson noted.
"There have been so many rumors and conspiracy theories about Kevin Hamby‘s disappearance," Johnson said. "We are trying to eliminate any possibility other than him becoming lost, driving off the trail, and crashing into this tree."
He added: “Please keep the family of Kevin Hamby in your prayers and conform your comments accordingly,” Johnson said
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