DNA Identifies Wilson’s Mills Remains As Man Last Seen In 2011

DNA, Store Keychain Help Identify Wilson’s Mills Skeletal Remains

WILSON’S MILLS, N.C. – Skeletal remains discovered in a wooded area of Wilson’s Mills last year have been identified as a man who disappeared in 2011 after allegedly shooting his wife, ending a mystery police had been trying to solve for nearly 15 years.

Wilson’s Mills Police Sgt. D. Hillard said the remains have been identified through DNA as Ngonae Imhotep, who was 40 years old when he disappeared in August 2011.

The identification came after a woman who saw a 2025 Johnston County Report story about the discovery contacted police because she believed the remains might belong to her brother.

Imhotep had never been officially reported missing.

Police obtained a DNA sample from the woman, and testing confirmed in March 2026 that the remains were those of her brother.

Investigators also found a store loyalty keychain near the remains. Police were able to trace the loyalty account number to Imhotep, providing additional evidence linking him to the remains.

The remains had been discovered on Aug. 31, 2025 in a wooded area near Fire Department Road and Lockwood Drive. Police said Imhotep’s body was found approximately 100 yards from his former residence.

The discovery brought an unexpected conclusion to a case dating back to Aug. 15, 2011.

Police said Imhotep allegedly shot his wife at their home on Twin Pines Court. She was transported to WakeMed with life-threatening injuries and remained hospitalized for approximately one month.

At the time, Wilson’s Mills Police initially charged Imhotep with discharging a weapon within the town limits. Additional charges were expected depending on the severity of his wife’s injuries and the outcome of the investigation.

Before investigators could complete the case, Imhotep disappeared.

When his wife returned home from the hospital in September 2011, she asked police to search the residence before she entered because she was concerned for her safety.

During that search, officers found a note Imhotep had left behind indicating he was leaving.

For years, police believed Imhotep had fled the area to avoid prosecution. Investigators pursued several possibilities, including checking with federal authorities to determine whether he had taken a commercial flight out of the country.

Instead, his remains were eventually found only about 100 yards from his home in a heavily wooded area.

Despite the identification, one major question remains unanswered.

The N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not determined Imhotep’s cause of death, police said.

A handgun was recovered near the remains. Sgt. Hillard said the firearm is being tested for DNA and other evidence, but emphasized that police have not determined how Imhotep died.

The investigation remains open pending additional findings from the medical examiner and testing of evidence recovered at the scene.

The NCSBI is assisting Wilson’s Mills Police with the investigation.