Registered sex offender charged with kidnapping, murder of missing NC woman
Robin M. Doyle was last seen by a family member on Monday.
The body of a missing 58-year-old North Carolina woman, who investigators believe was possibly kidnapped, was found Friday afternoon, authorities said.
The body of Robin M. Doyle, from Hickory, North Carolina, was found in northwestern Catawba, according to the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators did not immediately release the cause of death.
Doyle was last seen Monday by a family member. Police said they believe she was possibly kidnapped from her residence on Tuesday.
The discovery of her remains came days after investigators arrested and charged a registered sex offender in connection with her disappearance.
Leroy Allen Loper, 54, was named a person of interest in the case and was arrested on Wednesday night on unrelated sex offender registry charges, the sheriff's office said.
Loper was arrested in Surry County, about 60 miles away from Doyle's residence, according to Lt. Dane Hoyle of the Catawba County Police Department.
On Friday, he was charged with felony murder, first-degree kidnapping and concealment of death, the sheriff's office said.
Investigators found a bra near the residence and zip-ties in the yard of Doyle's home, police said. Zip-ties matching the same description were also recovered from a red Kia driven by Loper in Surry County, according to Hoyle.
Court documents said cameras in the area and witnesses spotted a red car leaving Doyle's neighborhood at a high rate of speed early Tuesday morning, according to Hoyle.
Investigators were led to Loper's location in Surry County by video footage from a camera in the area that showed Loper's 2015 red Kia Optima, along with its tag, according to police.
Doyle was not found at Loper's location at the time of his arrest, Hoyle said.
Doyle's father, who she lives with, said when he woke up Tuesday, Doyle was gone, but her car was still in the driveway and the back door to the home was open, according to ABC News' Charlotte affiliate WSOC.
Loper is a registered sex offender with previous felony charges of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree forcible sexual offense, the sheriff's office said.
He is being held in the Catawba County Detention Facility with no bond, according to the sheriff's office.
Loper is due in court on Monday.
