Remains identified 20 years after being found

Remains found 20 years ago have been identified as belonging to a man originally from Gaston County.

Eric Mason was last seen alive in Greenville, South Carolina in 1996. He was 20 years old at the time.

Remains were found in 2004 in Oconee County. Today, the coroner’s office announced that forensic investigators use DNA to tie those remains to Mason.

The remains had been deceased for three to five years at the time of discovery, the coroner’s office said.

His cause of death remains under investigation.