Man's body found in ditch behind Durham 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.