NORTH CAROLINA -- It's a case that's gone on for more than two decades. Now, a man accused of murdering his son and leaving his remains on the highway made his first appearance in court.
- On Monday, the judge let John Whitt know he's charged with murder and won't get bond in the case
- Whitt is believed to have kiilled his wife and son in 1998
- For years, investigators couldn't entirely I.D. the boy but using DNA match, they identified the victim as Robert Adam Whitt
On Monday, the judge let John Whitt know he's charged with murder and won't get bond in the case.
Whitt is already serving a federal sentence for armed robbery, a crime keeping him in prison until 2037.
The most recent charges date back to a 1998 investigation into the murder of what some call "The Billboard Boy."
In September of that year, a highway crew found human remains under a billboard in Mebane along I-85.
The case went cold until late 2018.
For years, investigators couldn't entirely I.D. the boy but using DNA match, they identified the victim as Robert Adam Whitt.
From there, they used that evidence to connect him to his dad, John Whitt.
An autopsy showed that young Bobby was about 10 years old when he died, presumably from strangulation.
The retired investigator involved in this case was in court saying he's waited 20 years for this day.
The state does plan on bringing forth other charges against Whitt. They believe he murdered his wife, the boy's mother, around the same time in 1998.
Investigators believe both of the murders happened in Cabbarus County.
Her body was dumped in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Prosecutors hope those charges will come in September.
