The Sharp County Sheriff’s Office has identified the remains discovered on Cougar Road in Sulphur Rock as a missing man. On March 19, deputies found a skull and what appeared to be a vertebra in a wooded area uphill from a stream branching off Caney Creek.
On April 8, DNA analysis from the State Crime Lab confirmed the remains belonged to Johnny Ray Bagwell who was reported missing to the Cave City Police Department by family members in June 2024. The family stated they had not seen or heard from Bagwell since July 2023.
The case remains an open and active investigation as the cause and manner of death has not been determined.
The Sharp County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone with information about the disappearance or death of Bagwell to assist in the investigation.
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