Buzz
Located in West Virginia, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is home to some of the most biologically diverse forests in North America. The park attracts adventurers, offering prime spots for rock climbing, exciting white-water rapids, breathtaking vistas, and peaceful hiking trails. Initially designated as a national river in 1978, New River Gorge was officially redesignated as a U.S. national park and preserve in 2020.
Found in Fayette and Summers Counties, the park and its surroundings have witnessed numerous strange incidents over the past century. As with many national parks, a significant number of individuals have gone missing in the area. While some were later discovered safe, many others were not. While the identities of some of the missing individuals are known, many remain nameless. Below are 10 eerie cases of individuals who disappeared in or near New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
10. George Andrew Gross
On January 12, 2018, George Andrew Gross, 56, a retired firefighter, found himself more than 200 miles (322 kilometers) away from his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was visiting Beckley, West Virginia, when he informed his family of plans to hike in New River Gorge.
In addition to his distinguished career as a firefighter and service as a United States Marine Corps veteran, Gross was also a family man, married with children. Sadly, after he ventured out for a hike in New River Gorge, he disappeared and was never heard from again.
A search operation for Gross began the following Monday. Rescuers soon located his truck at the Fern Creek trailhead in the park, which marks the start of a loop around the Alice Eastwood campground. Later, West rescuers discovered Gross’s body near the Diamond Point area of the park. The distance from the trailhead to where Gross was found exceeds 2 miles (3.2 kilometers). The cause of his death remains undetermined.
9. Susan Faye Roop
In February 1979, Susan 'Sue' Roop was going through a tough divorce after learning of her husband Raymond’s affair. She had also endured other difficult events, such as being run off the road and having her home mysteriously burned down.
Despite these challenges, Sue stayed positive. She had gained custody of her children and was receiving child support. Additionally, she expected to receive $3,000 from the sale of her property, which she intended to use to buy a new home.
On January 12, Sue's neighbor reported seeing her get into a truck with an unknown driver. That was the last time anyone saw Sue alive. Shortly after, Sue's children were approached by Raymond, who claimed Sue had abandoned them and placed him in charge. He later altered his statement, saying he had come to pay child support.
On February 14, a missing person report was filed. In April 1979, Sue's family provided letters she had written to authorities, indicating that Raymond had fallen behind on child support payments. In the letters, Sue voiced concerns for her safety and mentioned that someone had forged checks in her name.
In 1993, a body was discovered on Bolt Mountain within the park, and the remains seemed to match Sue's description. However, the results were inconclusive. Then in 2018, unidentified remains found in Fayette County were suspected to belong to Sue. It was later determined that the remains were from three separate victims. Sue's remains have never been recovered.
8. Margaret Dodd
On September 7, 1977, Margaret Dodd left her job at Cardinal Bank and set off for Shady Spring in her Chevette. Along the way, she stopped at a gas station. Afterward, another vehicle pulled in behind her. Reports indicate Margaret turned off her car, removed the keys from the ignition, took her purse, and walked toward the other vehicle. That was the last time she was seen alive.
That evening, a witness reported hearing screams and seeing a man force a woman into a vehicle. Police arrived swiftly and speculated that Margaret may have known the driver, or that the driver was posing as a police officer.
No trace of Margaret was ever discovered. Her husband was the only person known to have had any direct, unofficial contact with Margaret on the day she vanished.
Several psychics claimed to have insights but failed to provide any concrete leads. Margaret’s mother received a call from another unknown individual who claimed to be holding Margaret captive. This turned out to be an attempt to exploit the grief of Margaret’s parents.
In 1993, hunters on Bolt Mountain stumbled upon a human skull, prompting police to conduct a search of the area. They uncovered the rest of her skeleton, some clothing, and a ring, which later played a role in potentially identifying her. In 2017, law enforcement extracted a small DNA sample from Margaret's remains and obtained a match.
7. John Melvin Scarbrough
On September 4, 2018, John Melvin Scarbrough disappeared from the Beckwith area. Standing 6'1" (185.4 cm) and weighing 180 pounds (81.6 kg), Scarbrough was from the Bachman Road region of Beckwith, West Virginia, situated between 5 and 10 miles (8-16 km) from New River Gorge National Park.
The following week, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department discovered unidentified remains near Bachman Road. Authorities warned against assuming the remains belonged to Scarbrough, despite his recent disappearance.
In July 2019, local authorities reported finding additional remains along Bachman Road. A search warrant was obtained, possibly linked to a missing person case, which might have been connected to Scarbrough. It is unclear which residence was searched, and whether the remains belonged to two separate individuals or various parts of one person.
The fate of John Scarbrough remains unknown, and as of April 2023, he is still listed as missing.
6. Georgia Malinda Stone
Georgia Malinda Stone, a 56-year-old woman, was reported missing in December 2016. She was last seen at her home on Sanger Road on December 5, 2016. Stone left her home without taking her cell phone.
Shortly afterward, law enforcement suggested that Stone might have been experiencing emotional distress when she left her home. The investigation led authorities into Nicholas County, West Virginia, where Stone had several connections. Notably, Stone was originally from Nicholas County.
In October 2017, a hunter who regularly frequented a secluded area near Sanger Road in Hilltop, West Virginia, contacted authorities after discovering human remains near his deer trap. The remains were later identified as those of Georgia Stone. Remarkably, Stone was found not far from where rescue teams had been searching for her. Her home is located a little over 10 miles (16 km) from New River Gorge National Park, suggesting she may have wandered into the park at some point before her death. The cause of Stone's death remains unknown.
5. 1994 John Doe
On April 15, 1994, the body of an unidentified 'John Doe' was found in Oak Hill, West Virginia. It is believed that the John Doe had died approximately seven months before his remains were discovered. The cause of death, dental records, DNA, clothing, and jewelry of the John Doe are all unknown. He was a 5'6" (167.6 cm) Caucasian male weighing 140 pounds (6 kg). Oak Hill is located less than 10 miles (16 km) from New River Gorge National Park, suggesting that the park may have played a role in the circumstances leading to the man's death.
This case highlights the fact that there are currently 143 cold cases across all counties in West Virginia, with people either missing or still unidentified.
Thanks to recent advancements in technology, experts can now digitally scan skulls of John or Jane Does to create accurate replicas. Using anthropologists, they can approximate the person's facial features. By referencing specific materials, educated guesses can be made about details like ears and lips based on the skull.
4. 1989 New River Corpse
On March 18, 1989, members of the whitewater rafting group Passages to Adventures discovered a man's body in the New River. Initially unidentified, the body was found to have been in the water for several days.
The body was subsequently transferred to the county coroner for examination and then sent to the state coroner for further analysis. Although foul play was not ruled out initially, investigators later determined the body belonged to an Ohio man who had died in a car accident and had been reported to have been heavily intoxicated. It remains unclear how the man ended up in the river, but his death was concluded to be a drowning.
3. Robert Kovack
In September 1998, Robert Kovack was last seen on a Friday evening withdrawing cash from an ATM in Blacksburg, Virginia, near the Virginia Tech campus, where he was pursuing graduate studies. According to his roommates, he was heading home to Rivesville, West Virginia, to visit his parents but never arrived.
Five days after his disappearance, Kovack's car was discovered in West Virginia, along the route to his hometown. It was found near the New River Gorge Bridge, parked and out of gas. For the next 17 years, there were no significant leads about his whereabouts.
In March 2016, a repair crew working on the bridge stumbled upon human remains. Among the remains, they found Kovack's wallet, driver's license, and car keys. Positive identification was confirmed in March 2017. However, the cause and circumstances of his death remain unclear, leaving his family with unanswered questions.
Family and friends reject the possibility that Kovack took his own life, as there were no signs of depression or mental health issues. The student had been looking forward to graduation and starting a new job at an architectural firm. Loved ones suspect he may have been struck by a vehicle before falling off the bridge.
2. The Sodder Children
On Christmas Day, 1945, a devastating fire ravaged the Sodder family home in Fayetteville, claiming the lives of five of George and Jennie Sodder's children. Their home was located just a short distance from New River Gorge National Park. However, questions arose over the fire, with some evidence suggesting that Betty (5), Jennie (8), Louis (9), Martha (12), and Maurice (14) may not have perished in the flames after all.
On Christmas Eve of 1945, nine of the Sodder children went to bed, but the night was far from ordinary. Jennie was awakened three times: first by a phone call from a man’s voice, then by a loud noise and a rolling sound, and finally by smoke filling the house.
Four of the children managed to escape and called the Fayetteville Fire Department, but they received no assistance. Meanwhile, the Sodder parents did everything they could to save their other children, though they were unsuccessful. Authorities attributed the fire to faulty wiring, but the house had never experienced electrical problems. While it was claimed that the children’s bodies were cremated, a crematorium worker later explained that bones would remain even after burning at temperatures of 2,000°F (1,093°C) for two hours.
Several pieces of evidence pointed to the fire being intentionally set. In the months leading up to the tragedy, an insurance salesman had warned George that his house would burn down and his children would perish, in retaliation for his criticism of Mussolini in an area with a large Italian community.
Immediately after the devastating fire, several people claimed to have seen the Sodder children. The Sodders spent the remainder of their lives desperately searching for their missing kids, even going so far as to pay for a billboard along nearby Route 16 in hopes of gaining information about their whereabouts.
1. Jazmine Michelle Cruz
On April 1, 2016, thirty-year-old Jazmine Cruz was last seen in Deep Water, West Virginia, after leaving her mother's home on Boonesboro Road following a disagreement. Cruz was spotted running toward the woods and the nearby water. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a sweater, a short-sleeved shirt, black leggings, and tennis shoes. Considering her destination and the location's proximity—less than 25 miles (40 kilometers)—to New River Gorge National Park, it's possible that Cruz went missing within the park's boundaries.
Initially, authorities did not suspect foul play in Cruz’s case, but their stance has since changed, and they now believe foul play was involved. Consequently, law enforcement has conducted extensive searches along the riverbanks and surrounding homes on Boonesboro Road.
Cruz, an African American woman, stands at 5'2" (157.5 cm) and weighs 160 pounds (72.6 kg). She had no known physical or mental conditions that would make her more vulnerable to going missing. Moreover, she did not express any threats to herself or others before her disappearance. As of now, her case remains unsolved.
