Man's body found in ditch behind Durham home

Durham, N.C. — Durham police launched a suspicious death investigation Monday after the body of 26-year-old Bartley Herren was found behind a home.

Herren's girlfriend, Ryanne Allocca, found the body in a ditch behind 901 Vickers Avenue, next door to the Greystone Inn, she told WRAL News.

Allocca said she left her car with Herren when she went out of town for a few days last week.

"On Monday, I get a phone call saying my car had been in an accident," Allocca said. "I called the police to find out what was going on (and) they said the guy took off running."

She said she doesn't know why Herren ran from the scene of the crash, but it could be because of a medical condition. She did not elaborate.

When she couldn't get in touch with Herren, Allocca said she flew home Thursday and filed a missing person's report with Durham police. Then she spent three days searching a wooded area near the crash site.

"My mom and I have been searching these woods around here and today I just happened to walk, going that way," she said. "I smelled something just walking along, and I asked the man if I could go in his back yard and I walked up on (the body) in the back."

Although the body was decomposed, Allocca said she recognized her boyfriend.

No other details were released.

Anyone with information is asked to call Durham Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards for tips that help solve felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.

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Latest Comments

yes, can't understand why the police were not searching the area...was the thing about a person has to be missing for 24 or so many hours before they are considered a missing person? This is so very very sad. I am so sorry for the family's loss.

fatkatts2
September 6, 2012 7:06 p.m.

lET ME REWRITE THIS SO IT GETS POSTED. fOR "EYE" YOU HAVE NO SOUL OR COMPASSION. yoU WILL NEED YOUR SPADE WHERE YOUR GOING SO WE INSIST YOU KEEP IT. MY SON WENT INTO KETOACIDOUSIS, THATS WHAT KILLED HIM. HE DID HAVE HIS DRIVERS LISCENSE. IF THE POLICE HAD DONE THERE JOB THAT NIGHT MY SON WOULD BE IN THE HOSPITAL ALIVE, INSTEAD I HAVE TO BURY HIM BESIDE HIS YOUNGER BROTHER. RYANNE HAS DONE EVERYTHING SHE COULD AND SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THAT. MAY NONE OF YOU HAVE TO EVER BURY A CHILD AS I WILL HAVE TO DO THIS WEEKEND.

krazykarrotz
September 5, 2012 1:16 p.m.

To all you haters and rude people, no matter what your opinion of the story is, please keep it to yourself. I hope and pray you will never have to find a dead body that has been decomposing for a week...let alone have it be a loved one. HAVE SOME COMPASSION for my dear friend Ryanne and take your bad day out on someone else!!! Disgraceful and tacky, you should be ashamed of yourselves!

Very well said cyndistevenson, f407 & bareftndncin! Thank you...

rfd
September 4, 2012 3:42 p.m.

@ryanneallocca,

Please ignore people that have posted rude comments on this story.

They jump to conclusions and post like the families will never read them.

My condolences to you for what you have been though.

cyndistevenson
September 4, 2012 3:23 p.m.

It is important to call a spade a spade. The important message in this story is this- Where there is a sowing, there is a reaping. We reap more than we sowed and later than we sowed.