Body of man reported missing after Hurricane Helene flooding recovered
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — The remains of a man reported missing after Hurricane Helene in September have been found in Tennessee, authorities confirmed.
Human remains were found along the Nolichucky River in rural Washington County, about 90 miles east of Knoxville, on Thursday.
On Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the remains are those of Steven Cloyd.
'Crews clearing debris located the remains, and our Investigators worked with the medical examiner to identify Steve,' said Sheriff Keith Sexton. 'WCSO continues to pray for the Cloyd family, and we know this brings them some closure.'
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Cloyd was one of two individuals reported missing in Washington County following the flooding brought on by Hurricane Helene. While the storm made landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida, it had weakened to a tropical storm and then a post-tropical cyclone as it moved through the Southeastern U.S.
The storm was still strong enough to bring widespread flooding to the region, including in Tennessee.
Authorities said Cloyd, as well as Nancy Tucker, had not been seen since the catastrophic flooding in late September. They both lived in the Jackson Island area near the Jackson Bridge, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said.
Cloyd's body was found just a few miles from Jackson Island. He had texted his brother, Gary Cloyd, that 'water was coming in the house' as Helene swept through the area. Gary told Nexstar's WJHL that he tried to drive to his brother, but was blocked off by rising water.
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Steven Cloyd's car was later found less than half a mile away from where he was last seen.
Tucker, meanwhile, remains missing. Her husband, Jimmy Tucker, was found dead a few days after the storm moved through. Their home had been swept away by the floodwaters while they were both inside, WJHL previously learned. Two of their three dogs were found alive and turned over to Nancy's son.
'Nancy had packed dog food and stuff like that for the animals in the car,' her nephew, Johnny Horton, told WJHL in November. 'I guess they were doing that as the water was rising.'
Last month, another body was recovered from the Nolichucky River; authorities said it was not believed to be related to Helene.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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