Friday night, the friends and family of Chris Eggleston still had aglimmer of hope. Today, their hopes have been dashed. Search teamsdiscovered Eggleston's body Saturday morning not far from the place wherehe was last seen-- Westover High School.
Eggleston was found shortly before 9:00 a.m. submerged in a creek bed justyards away from where investigators looked Friday night.
Chris Eggleston took his last exam Monday and walked away from school. Friday, investigators got a tip that turned up three clues.
A search and rescue team spent Friday afternoon poking around a creekalong Morganton Road. They looked for, but hopednottofind 16-year old Chris Eggleston. Family and friends gathered up the roadto wait for word.
Nearby the creek, investigators located a shoe family members identifiedas Chris'. Adding to the shoe, the searchers discover a shirt and anotebook, all belonging to the missing teenager.
Though it only took a few days for divers to locate Chris' body, it tookeven less time for word of the finding to spread throughout the communitysurrounding Westover High School.
Friends and strangers gathered to support a very distraught Egglestonfamily. Nicole Hardy was one of the many local residents at the scene.Hardy didn't know the Eggleston's, but she feels their pain all the same.She says it's senseless acts like this that makes her question her ownfaith in God.
Until Saturday, investigators had been treating the situation as amissing person case, hoping Eggleston had thrown his belongings off abridge and run away. It now appears they're dealing with a case ofmurder.
Investigators expect several of Eggleston's classmates to be questionedabout his death. In the meantime, Eggleston's body is on the way toChapel Hill where an autopsy will be performed.
andJulia LewisandRobertMeikle
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