More than 15 years after Daniel McCoy Moses disappeared, the former truck driver from Rich Square, North Carolina, remains missing. Moses was last seen at his home on June 16, 2011—the same day the residence was destroyed by fire.
Moses was 59 when he vanished. Known locally as “The Barbecue Man,” he prepared and delivered barbecue chicken to people in the surrounding community. Missing-person organizations and investigators continue to classify him as endangered missing, while the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office remains the lead agency handling information about the case.
Who was Daniel McCoy Moses from Rich Square?
A lifelong member of a large Northampton County family, Moses had 10 siblings. He lived in a rural area outside Rich Square, a small community in northeastern North Carolina.
Before retiring, Moses spent years as a long-haul truck driver. Friends and relatives also knew him as an accomplished cook, fisherman and hunter. He had practiced karate for years and was considered physically capable, details that have influenced some of the theories about what may have happened to him.
His nickname came from the chicken dinners he cooked and sold to neighbors. Through that work, Moses was a familiar figure in the area. His family has said he typically maintained regular contact with relatives, making his sudden disappearance particularly unusual.
At the time he went missing, Moses was about 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed approximately 200 pounds. Public records describe him as a Black man with brown eyes, graying black hair, a mustache and beard, and a pierced left ear. He was known to have back problems and may have walked with a limp.
What happened to Daniel Moses?
Moses was reportedly seen behind his home on the morning of June 16, 2011, near the 1900 block of W.J. Duke Service Road in rural Rich Square. A farm worker is said to have seen him at the property.
Later that day, the house caught fire and burned to the ground. Firefighters and investigators did not find Moses inside the ruins. His disappearance came to light after the blaze, leaving two closely connected questions unanswered: where he went and whether the fire played a role in his disappearance.
Several circumstances at the property struck Moses’s family and investigators as unusual:
Was Daniel McCoy Moses the victim of a homicide?
Authorities have treated homicide as one possible explanation. However, Moses’s body has never been recovered, and no one has been publicly charged in connection with his disappearance.
The circumstances have led investigators to consider that Moses may have been killed. Relatives have stressed that leaving without contacting his family would have been unlike him. His vehicles remained at home, while records reportedly showed activity connected to his phone in the days after he disappeared, including a signal from a tower in Virginia.
Those details have fueled questions, but they do not establish what happened. No publicly confirmed account explains where Moses went after he was last seen, who may have accompanied him or how the house fire started.
The case remains an unresolved disappearance in which foul play is suspected—not a confirmed or solved murder. The homicide theory is an investigative possibility or conclusion, not a finding proven in court.
What new clues were reported in the case?
In 2021, a woman reportedly reached out to Moses’s sister after seeing a Facebook post about the case. She said she had been in a car near Rich Square around the time Moses disappeared. Later reports stated that she saw the vehicle’s trunk open after it crossed a bridge, revealing what appeared to be a dark-skinned leg wearing a sock and tennis shoe.
The account has not been independently confirmed in public records, and investigators have not established that the person seen was Moses. The information was nevertheless forwarded to authorities, who confirmed that they were reviewing the lead.
Authorities later searched near Cumbo Road after receiving additional information. Earlier efforts had included a farm near Moses’s former home. Investigators reportedly brought in a cadaver dog and examined a well using an underwater camera. The searches did not publicly uncover remains or other conclusive evidence.
The reported witness account highlights the distinction between an investigative lead and a verified fact. It may have directed authorities to another area of interest, but it has not solved the case or identified anyone responsible.
What is known about the house fire?
The fire destroyed Moses’s home on the day he disappeared. Investigators reportedly found no confirmed indication that he died inside the building, and later accounts said testing did not uncover conclusive evidence of blood in the residence.
A former local official involved in the emergency response believed an electrical problem may have started the blaze. Moses’s relatives, however, continue to question the timing: he was missing, his vehicles remained at the property and the house burned before authorities realized he could not be found.
Publicly available information has not determined whether the fire was accidental, deliberate or unrelated to Moses’s disappearance. That unresolved question remains central to the investigation.
Is Daniel Moses still missing?
Yes. As of October 20, 2026, publicly available missing-person records continue to identify Daniel McCoy Moses as missing from Rich Square, North Carolina. There has been no publicly confirmed recovery, identification of remains or criminal conviction connected to his disappearance.
His case remains listed by the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office at 252-534-2611.
People who believe they may know something should provide specific details rather than relying on online speculation. Useful information could include a sighting, a vehicle description, knowledge of the area around Moses’s home, or anything observed near Rich Square or Cumbo Road in June 2011.
Why does Daniel Moses’s disappearance continue to draw attention?
Moses’s case has remained visible because several elements are difficult to reconcile. He disappeared from a rural property without taking his vehicles, his home burned the same day, and investigators have not located him despite searches and later tips.
His family has also continued to advocate publicly for answers. His sister, Shelia Moses, has spoken about the disappearance and worked to keep attention on the investigation. The case was later featured by Unsolved Mysteries, bringing the story to a broader audience.
Public interest can help keep a missing-person case active, but it can also encourage unsupported accusations. No individual should be described as responsible unless investigators or prosecutors establish that through reliable evidence and legal proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Daniel McCoy Moses?
Daniel McCoy Moses is a former truck driver and neighborhood barbecue seller from Rich Square, North Carolina. He disappeared in June 2011 and remains missing.
When was Daniel Moses last seen?
He was last seen on the morning of June 16, 2011, at or near his home in rural Rich Square.
Why is Daniel Moses known as “The Barbecue Man”?
Moses earned the nickname because he prepared and sold barbecue chicken to people in his community.
What happened to Daniel Moses’s house?
His house burned and was destroyed on the same day he disappeared. Investigators considered an accidental electrical fire possible, while his family questioned whether the blaze was deliberately set.
Has Daniel Moses been found?
No. Public records continue to list him as missing, and there has been no confirmed recovery or identification of remains.
Do authorities believe foul play was involved?
Authorities have considered homicide a possibility based on the circumstances and other investigative information, but no one has been publicly convicted and the case remains unresolved.
Was Daniel Moses seen in Virginia?
His phone reportedly connected with a cellular tower in Virginia after his disappearance. That signal does not confirm that Moses himself traveled there.
Who should be contacted with information?
Information can be reported to the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office at 252-534-2611.
Daniel McCoy Moses was a familiar figure in the Rich Square community: a retired truck driver, skilled cook and local barbecue seller. His disappearance became especially disturbing because it coincided with the destruction of his home. More than a decade later, the essential facts remain unchanged—Moses is still missing, the cause and significance of the fire remain disputed, and no public resolution has established what happened to him.
