I recently aborted a winter sobo thru-hike at the US 501 road-crossing in Virginia after finding a dead body at Punchbowl Shelter. The man set up his tent inside the shelter, got in his sleeping bag, and apparently shot himself with a small caliber pistol. The sheriff's deputies that arrived on the scene said the man had likely been dead for 2 days. I had recently taken two zeros in Waynesboro, VA (where I went to the library and discovered the Hilton murders), and had I not stopped in Waynesboro I could very well have met this man at the shelter while he was still alive. I can't help think of two scenarios had that happened - 1. He could have taken me with him, or 2. I could have talked him out of it.
I was wondering if anyone in the Lynchburg/Buena Vista or any nearby areas had any information or links to news articles on who the man was and his motives for ending his life. Thanks.