A woman has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a Lincoln County man who was reported missing last month.

On Friday, (June 5) detectives obtained warrants charging 36-year-old Kayla Rose Bessette with first-degree murder and common law robbery in the death of 70-year-old Tony Maddox.

Authorities said Bessette has been in the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office on unrelated charges since May 30, 2026. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office was scheduled to serve the new warrants, and Bessette will remain in their custody.

The victim, Tony Maddox, was originally reported missing by family members on May 27. Search and rescue personnel found him deceased in a wooded area in Lincolnton on June 2.

The investigation remains ongoing. Lincolnton Police thanked the community and several law enforcement agencies for their assistance, including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Stephanie Allen with the Lincolnton Police Department at (704) 736-8900.

No additional details regarding the circumstances surrounding Maddox’s death have been released.