Homicide detectives identify body found along Gaston County highway

Gaston County police have identified a body found along U.S. Highway 321 near Ratchford Drive, north of Dallas. They have upgraded the case to a homicide.

The body of 56-year-old Glen A. Miller was found on Tuesday at the bottom of a rocky hillside. He seemed to have a pre-existing injury to his lower left leg.

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Police said Miller was originally from Ohio and they are investigating his death as a homicide.

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty spoke with several people who live in the area about the case, including Molly Jones whose home sits just off of Highway 321. She said the body was in an area off her horse pasture where there is a culvert that runs under the four-lane highway.

“I don’t like it. And I’d like to find out where he came from or what happened, how it happened,” she said. “Yes, not good. Not good at all.”

Police said it was a driver who alerted officers to the scene.

Steve Brown has lived just off of Highway 321 for the past eight years.

“To hear that’s in the backyard, like, that is kind of shocking,” he said. “You just don’t know what you’re around and this is unexpected.”

Police didn’t say how long the body was there or how the man died. The North Carolina Department of Transportation said an average of 40,000 cars pass by the area every day.

Jeff Brackett, who lives in Dallas, hopes police find out what happened.

“It’s too hush-hush to me,” he said. “It seems like they ought to be more information to the public. Let us know what is going on so we know what to do.”

Detectives are still working to determine the cause of death. Anyone with information should contact Detective H. King at 704-866-3320. Tips can also be called or texted to Gaston County Crimestoppers at 704-861-8000.

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