UPDATE: Body found in Kemper County missing persons case

KEMPER CO., Miss. (WTOK) - UPDATE: 2/17/2025: According to Kemper County Sheriff James Moore, the body of Steven Knight was located in Scooba and identified this morning.

The initial investigation showed Knight suffered from a gunshot wound to the head. Knight’s vehicle was located in Scooba on February 7th. Conservation officers with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and a K-9 unit known as “Search Dogs South” aided in the finding of the body. Kemper County Sheriff’s Department said Knight’s body was located in a ditch with a rifle. The body will be transported to the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory for further examination and analysis.

UPDATE: 2/8/2025: According to Kemper County Sheriff James Moore, on Saturday, February 8th, contact was made with the Kemper County Sheriff’s Department in reference to the Missing North Carolina man, Steven Lee Knight.

An individual who identified himself as Joshua Pilkering stated that he works at the Ace Hardware store located at 1391 Dellwood Road, Waynesville, N.C., and says that while at work a few days ago, he saw Knight enter the store. He also states that he was able to positively identify Knight because they both went to school together and spoke occasionally.

After speaking with Pilkering, Sheriff Moore says that contact was made with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department Investigations Division. The detective there advised that he had just spoken with Johsua Pilkering regarding the sighting on Knight. The Ace Hardware store he works at is only a few miles from the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department.

The Detective assured Sheriff Moore that they would attempt to follow up with the store and ascertain if video footage could be obtained from Knight’s interaction inside the store. The Kemper County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to investigate this case until Steven Lee Knight is located.

Sheriff Moore says he does not believe that Knight is a threat to Kemper County.

“You know, I think too on the other end, there’s a lot of people in Kemper County concerned that is this person dangerous? Where could he be? All indications that we know from North Carolina and from right here are that this person is not a dangerous person. As a matter of fact, what he said that he would do harm to was to himself. It doesn’t appear that nothing happened here. We’re going to continue to look, and North Carolina’s going to continue to do their thing so we can bring a close for the citizen in North Carolina, as well as here in Kemper County,” Moore says.

According to Kemper County Sheriff James Moore, his department received a request on Friday, February 7th to assist with a possible missing person case. The Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Offices advised that they were responding to a possible trespassing call in a wooded area near Highway 45 Northbound in Scooba, MS.

Upon arrival, a vehicle was located with a North Carolina Tag (THF5471) that was registered to Steven Lee Knight, a missing Maggie Valley, North Carolina man. The vehicle is a 2006 Toyota Tundra. The departments, including the Kemper County Special Response Team and the MDWFP’s Special Response Team, searched the area and local hospitals and were unable to locate Knight. There were no signs of foul play during the search of the truck and area.

According to social media posts, Steven Lee Knight was last seen on January 15th in Maggie Valley, NC. He’s described as a 5′7″ white male with brown hair and blue eyes. He’s 31 years old.

Sheriff James Moore confirms that the investigation is ongoing and that a Search and Recovery K-9 Unit has been contacted to assist. Sheriff James Moore and the Kemper County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend its gratitude to MDWFP and their Special Response Team for their continued collaborative efforts.

This is a developing story and News 11 will continue to update as details are made available to us.

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