09/13/04 — Goldsboro resident missing in Western N.C. waterfall area

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Goldsboro resident missing in Western N.C. waterfall area

By Wire
Published in News on September 13, 2004 1:57 PM

There has been a correction to this story:

A series of articles on a man from Goldsboro who is missing in western North Carolina gave an incorrect spelling of the name of a woman whose body was found. The correct spelling is Misty Dawn France.

September 21, 2004

The orginal story follows:

CULLOWHEE (AP) -- The search continued today for a Western Carolina University student from Goldsboro who is still missing in the woods of Jackson County.

The body of one female student was found near a waterfall.

Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe said the female student was Misty Dawn Frances, 19, of Jacksonville. The missing male student was Aaron Joel Esteppe, 19, of Goldsboro, the sheriff said.

University spokesman Bill Studenc said Sunday the two students went to the Paradise Falls area Thursday afternoon. A search began Friday evening, and a female body was located about 11 a.m. Saturday.

The pair were hiking when the remnants of Hurricane Frances were producing torrential downpours in the area and causing flash flooding.