BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. – US National Park Service Rangers are investigating an assault at the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Buncombe County Emergency Management says a woman was taken to the hospital after being assaulted near the Parkway.
Various media outlets have reported that the 64-year-old woman was found tied to a tree after being missing for several hours on May 12.
The National Park Service has released a sketch of the suspect in the investigation.
They say the man is approximately 50 years old with salt-and-pepper hair.
He is believed to have partially grown in (scruffy) facial hair.
They think he was wearing a light or faded grey short sleeve T-shirt and baggy blue pants that appear to be old and faded.
He was also wearing a dark pair of tennis shoes.
They also say the man may appear and smell of a musty odor of being unwashed for several days.
WSPA received a recording of the radio traffic from the Buncombe County Emergency Operations Center.
They say that the woman was found tied to a tree.
Radio 1 – “Very suspicious.”
Radio 2 – “…You serious about D.O.A?”
Radio 1 – “She’s not deceased at this time, but she is tied to a tree. This is the one we’ve been looking for.”— WNCN contributed to this report