Body of missing man found burned and buried; investigators treating case as a homicide
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CHALLIS — The body of a man missing for over a month was found burned and buried in a remote part of Custer County.
Charles “Charlie” McBride was last seen leaving to go to work on Feb. 25 in Challis. McBride’s body was discovered Sunday evening by investigators on private property in the Morgan Creek Drainage area of Custer County. His body was taken to Boise where an autopsy is being performed, according to a Custer County Sheriff’s Office news release.
“There are several persons of interest being interviewed by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho State Police at this time. The ongoing investigation is being treated as a homicide,” the news release says.
Friends and family members tell EastIdahoNews.com that on the day he vanished, McBride was supposed to work for a man named Ben Savage, who owns an excavation company.
“(Charlie) called Ben Savage, and Ben told (that) him he is outside,” recalls Bradon Kominek, a friend of McBride’s. “I walked him out to his truck, and Charlie said, ‘I love you, bro. I will see you after work.’ So I was waiting for him, and he never showed up. I was curious, so I called the police department in Challis, and I asked if they have Charlie McBride, and they said no.”
Rumors have circulated on social media that Savage may have been involved in McBride’s disappearance but when asked by EastIdahoNews.com Monday if he had anything to do with McBride’s disappearance Savage said, “No, I did not.”
Savage says McBride was on drugs when he picked him up for work that morning but did not want to answer any other questions.
“He was high on meth. That’s all I can tell you right now. I’m working with the police right now. It’ll come out soon,” Savage said.
In a March 7 Facebook post, Custer County Sheriff Stuart “Stu” Lumpkin says Savage has “cooperated 100 percent.”
“On March 7, 2019, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. … the Custer County Sheriff’s Office was at the property where Ben Savage works. The area was checked for any fresh fire pits and fresh dug holes, there was no evidence of any fresh dug holes or any fire pits found on the property. All buildings were checked, and Charlie was not found in the Morgan Creek area. … Everyone is posting things on Facebook but yet no has come into the Sheriff’s Office or even called with any information. Ben Savage has cooperated 100 percent in this investigation.”
The Custer County Sheriff’s Office asks anyone with information on this case to call (208) 879-2232 or an anonymous tip line (208) 879-5372.