Justin Lobdell was found about a quarter-mile from Pine Gap Trailhead after his vehicle led authorities to the rugged western North Carolina gorge.
BURKE COUNTY, NC — A Black Mountain man reported missing after Halloween was found dead Tuesday in Linville Gorge, ending a large search that began after an off-duty deputy spotted his vehicle at a trailhead, authorities said.
Justin Quinn Lobdell was found shortly before noon Nov. 10 about a quarter-mile down the trail from Pine Gap Trailhead in Pisgah National Forest, according to Burke County emergency officials. His body was transferred to the medical examiner’s office for evaluation. Authorities said no foul play was suspected, but a cause of death had not been released.
Lobdell’s family reported him missing to Black Mountain police after he had not been seen since Halloween evening. Police said in an earlier missing-person alert that his last known location was in Marion and that he had been traveling in a black 2023 Hyundai Elantra with tinted windows and stickers on the back.
The case shifted to Linville Gorge after an off-duty Mitchell County sheriff’s deputy noticed a vehicle connected to Lobdell at Pine Gap Trailhead on Sunday, Nov. 8. The discovery prompted emergency crews and law enforcement officers to focus their search on the surrounding forest and trails.
More than 100 searchers from five counties took part as crews worked through the steep and rugged terrain, according to local reports. Search teams used drones and dogs, while members of the Linville-Central Rescue Squad descended portions of the mountainside during the effort. First responders said Lobdell had some experience in the outdoors.
Burke County emergency officials had announced Monday that multiple agencies were searching the gorge in support of the Black Mountain Police Department’s missing-person investigation. Participating agencies included Burke County Emergency Management, Burke County EMS Special Operations, the Burke County Rescue Squad, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, Burke County 911 TERT and Linville Central Rescue.
North Carolina Emergency Management, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement and an Asheville Fire Department communications team also assisted. Crews searched Monday and planned to resume Tuesday, when Lobdell was ultimately located near the trailhead.
Before authorities confirmed Lobdell’s identity in connection with the Linville Gorge operation, Black Mountain police had sought the public’s help in finding him. His family said he had been missing since Oct. 31. The discovery of his car helped investigators narrow a search that had begun without a publicly known location for him.
Officials have not announced what caused Lobdell’s death or provided further details about the circumstances that led him to Linville Gorge. The medical examiner’s evaluation remained the next step, and authorities said further information would come from the Black Mountain Police Department or other investigating agencies.
Author note: Last updated November 11, 2026.