PUTNAM COUNTY, Tenn. — Authorities have confirmed that skeletal remains discovered late last month in Putnam County belong to a Rutherford County man who had been missing for nearly a year.

According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, a group of hikers located the remains on Sunday, March 29, near Monterey at the eastern end of the county, in a wooded area between Highway 70 and Interstate 40. Investigators were notified shortly after the discovery, and the remains were transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for further examination.

The Medical Examiner has since identified the remains as those of Kevin Sharp, who was reported missing from his Rutherford County residence on May 4, 2024.

Officials noted that just one day after his disappearance, on May 5, 2024, Sharp’s vehicle — a black Subaru — was found abandoned along Interstate 40 at mile marker 298 in Putnam County. During the recovery of the remains, investigators also located a Subaru key fob among the items at the scene, further linking the discovery to Sharp.

Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris addressed the development, stating, “This is never the outcome hoped for in a missing person case. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Sharp’s family as they navigate this difficult time.”

Authorities have not released additional details surrounding the circumstances of Sharp’s death, and the investigation remains ongoing.