Lee Anthony Funderburk dies in fatal Davidson County homicide case

Lee Anthony Funderburk dies in fatal Davidson County homicide case

Fatal Davidson County homicide case death of Lee Anthony Funderburk – Obituary

Lee Anthony Funderburk, a Charlotte man who had been missing for nearly nine years, was identified as the individual whose skeletal remains were recently found in a salvaged vehicle in Davidson County, authorities said.

On May 14, an employee at Leonard Salvage in Lexington discovered the remains hidden in the trunk of a car while working on the vehicle. The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the remains belonged to Funderburk, who was last seen on March 25, 2016, and officially reported missing by his family on May 31, 2016.

Investigators revealed that the car containing Funderburk’s remains had been transported from Charlotte to Davidson County just one day before the discovery, on May 13, 2025. The vehicle was registered to his mother, Mattie Mae Funderburk.

The Sheriff’s Office has determined the killing did not happen in Davidson County, and all related evidence has been transferred to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which is now leading the investigation.

Davidson County Sheriff Richie Simmons emphasized that those involved in transporting or processing the vehicle, including staff at Leonard Salvage, are not considered suspects. The business was temporarily closed during the investigation but fully cooperated with law enforcement.

Though the case remains unsolved, Simmons expressed hope that this development offers some measure of closure for Funderburk’s loved ones after nearly a decade of uncertainty.

Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at (704) 336-4978.