What started as a call to a lonely dirt road outside Parkton has turned into a troubling death investigation stretching across Robeson and Cumberland counties. Detectives say a man and a woman are now tied to the discovery of a body left inside a car along the 100 block of Dogwood Trails Road, where deputies found 36-year-old Zachary David Johnson of Fayetteville dead in the vehicle on a recent Friday.
After nearly two weeks of digging into what happened, investigators announced that 45-year-old Scott Vaughan of Raeford and 40-year-old Robin C. Smith of Fayetteville have been linked to the case. Both are facing concealment or failure-to-report-death charges stemming from how Johnson’s body was left in the car. Vaughan was arrested and remained in custody on unrelated holds, while Smith was still being sought at the time of the announcement, according to The Charlotte Observer.
Scene and response
Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said deputies, criminal investigators and crime-scene technicians converged on the rural stretch near Parkton after the body was discovered, confirming that Johnson was found inside the vehicle. The quiet dirt road quickly turned into an active crime scene as crews documented the car and surrounding area, a response first detailed by WMBF.
Medical examiner's update
Even with the unusual circumstances, the North Carolina medical examiner told investigators that the death “does not appear to be the result of a homicide.” Toxicology results are still pending as the autopsy continues, so officials have not publicly pinned down a cause of death. As The Charlotte Observer reported, that preliminary finding has shifted detectives’ focus to the lingering questions of how and why Johnson’s body ended up in a car on a remote dirt road.
What happens next
Robeson County detectives say the investigation is very much active as they chase leads and wait for the toxicology reports that could clarify Johnson’s final hours. Authorities have not released court dates or additional filings tied to the concealment-related charges. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the case or the movements of those involved to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office while the inquiry continues, according to ongoing coverage from WMBF.
