MARION, NC — McDowell County deputies are searching a wooded area near Tom’s Creek Falls after a Greensboro woman disappeared earlier this week and her pickup truck was found close to the hiking entrance in Marion. Elise Grabda, 26, was reported missing in Greensboro, and authorities say she was last seen Monday driving a white Toyota Tacoma with a North Carolina license plate.
The sheriff’s office said Grabda’s truck turned up Wednesday near the entrance to Tom’s Creek Falls, prompting an expanded search of the surrounding forest. Deputies have not said when she may have arrived there or why she may have gone to the area. Officials also have not said whether investigators believe foul play is involved.
How deputies connected the truck to the search
The discovery of the pickup appears to have become the key clue in the case. McDowell County Sheriff’s Office officials said the vehicle was located at the trailhead area near the falls, a place that draws hikers and visitors into the Pisgah National Forest.
With the truck found and Grabda still missing, emergency personnel were searching the forest on Wednesday afternoon. The sheriff’s office did not describe the size of the search party or give details on what areas were being checked. Authorities also did not immediately release information about any items recovered from the vehicle.
Because the truck was found near a hiking area, investigators are focusing on the terrain around the falls and the nearby woods. The area includes rugged natural features and foot traffic from visitors, which can complicate a search effort.
What investigators have said about Elise Grabda
Grabda is described by the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office as 6 feet tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. Those details were included in the public call for information as authorities continued trying to trace her movements after Monday.
Officials have asked anyone who knows where she is to contact McDowell County Communications at 828-652-2000. The sheriff’s office has not publicly released a more detailed timeline of her last known movements, and no additional personal details were included in the public notice.
At this stage, the case remains a missing-person search rather than a confirmed criminal investigation. Deputies are still trying to determine what happened between the time Grabda was last seen and the moment her truck was found near the falls.
Why Tom’s Creek Falls matters to the case
Tom’s Creek Falls sits within a forested part of western North Carolina and is a familiar destination for hikers. The entrance area where Grabda’s truck was found is a logical place for searchers to focus because it links a vehicle discovery to a remote natural setting.
That combination often forces investigators to consider both the roadway and the surrounding wilderness. A vehicle left near a trailhead can signal that a person may have gone hiking, gotten disoriented, or encountered trouble away from the road.
Deputies have not said whether Grabda was known to hike there or had any reason to be in McDowell County on Monday. For now, the location of the truck is the central clue guiding the search.
Community attention grows as the search continues
The case has drawn attention across the Greensboro and McDowell County areas as the search continues. Grabda was first reported missing in Greensboro, but the trail in the investigation shifted west after the pickup was found in Marion.
That geographic gap has left investigators trying to connect two different places and two different timelines. The sheriff’s office has not released any indication that she has been seen since Monday, and officials have not announced any recovery of additional evidence that would explain her disappearance.
For now, the search remains active and public appeals for information are part of the effort. Anyone with knowledge of Grabda’s whereabouts is being urged to contact authorities as deputies continue to comb the forest near the falls.
What remains unknown in the case
Several basic questions remain unanswered. Authorities have not said how long the truck had been parked near Tom’s Creek Falls, whether there were signs of distress at the scene, or whether anyone else was with Grabda.
They also have not provided details on weather conditions, cell phone data, or other leads that might help explain her path after Monday. The sheriff’s office has kept the investigation focused on locating her and has not announced any arrests or named any suspects.
As the search continues, deputies are asking for help from the public while they work through the wooded area and follow whatever leads emerge. The next break in the case may depend on whether someone comes forward with information about where Grabda went after leaving Greensboro.
