Shivangi Sinha
In July 2020, Kristofer Bowling, who had been living away from his family in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, suddenly stopped communicating with them. His relatives grew concerned and reported him missing, prompting police to check his residence. Although officers immediately sensed that something was off, they initially found no remains or clear signs of foul play. The case took a serious turn when human remains discovered along a highway were identified as Kris’ A&E’s ‘Interrogation Raw: Murder on a Haunted Road’ details the investigation and how the truth behind his disappearance was uncovered.
Kristofer Bowling Was Reported Missing After His Family Didn’t Hear From Him
Kristofer “Kris” Bowling grew up in a big family in Tennessee, but to his mother, Kelly Simerly, he was always the apple of her eye. She recalled that he had a natural kindness about him and was constantly excited about building a future for himself. As a teenager, he began creating music and told his mother that his long-term goal was to become a producer. He dreamed of giving other artists a platform to express themselves and was inspired by the idea. Kristofer also had a child with his ex-girlfriend, Marissa McKenney, and tried hard to be the father his child deserved. After the two had separated, Marissa decided to move to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Kris knew he couldn’t stand the idea of being far from his child, so he decided to relocate as well. He moved into an apartment he shared with a couple of roommates and appeared to be settling in well. He stayed in frequent contact with his mother, calling her regularly and making sure she knew what was happening in his life. The last time she heard from him was on July 27, 2020, after which all communication stopped. She repeatedly tried calling, growing uneasy when he didn’t answer and it was something that was very unlike him. The family became even more concerned when Marissa attempted to reach Kris about picking up their child as planned, and he never responded.
On August 5, 2020, Kris was officially reported missing, and police launched an extensive investigation. Then, on September 1, 2020, after weeks of searching, human remains were discovered off Lucas Bay Road, just north of Highway 701, and were sent for identification. The shoes found with the remains initially suggested they might belong to Kris, and soon DNA and dental records confirmed it. He had been shot in the head. It was ruled a homicide, and investigators worked urgently to uncover answers for his family.
Kristofer Bowling’s Killers Denied Any Involvement Through the Many Interrogations
When Kristofer Bowling was reported missing, the first person police contacted was his roommate, Tyler Panzarella. He claimed that Kris had been talking to a girl for a while and had left the house on July 27 but never returned. Officers found this suspicious, especially because Kris had recently been exploring independent rental options in the area, indicating he had plans to stay and not suddenly disappear. On August 25, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence, where a cadaver dog alerted them to the presence of human remains. A few days later, police returned to question Tyler once more.
He later changed the story he had given earlier, now claiming that on July 27, he and the other two roommates, Bailey Hudson and Nicholas Henry, who were also from Tennessee, had all been hanging out together. According to this new account, the four of them were driving around when Henry allegedly turned onto Lucas Bay Road and began telling a local ghost tale. Tyler said he became frightened, and at that point, Henry allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Kris. On August 31, Tyler was arrested on charges of obstruction of justice. It was based on the details he provided that police were able to locate Kris’s remains at the site he pointed out.
To gain a clearer understanding of what happened, investigators interviewed both Henry and Bailey, who were back in Tennessee. They each stated that it was Tyler who had fired the gun and that he had threatened them to keep quiet. Based on their descriptions of the events, police came to believe Tyler was the actual shooter. He had already admitted to possessing the gun used in the killing and could not explain why he failed to report anything to authorities. His behavior and demeanor also raised red flags. By early September 2020, both Henry and Tyler were arrested on murder charges.
Tyler Panzarella is Behind Bars in South Carolina and Nicholas Henry is on Probation Today
Tyler Panzarella was initially charged with first-degree murder, but in April 2022, he entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and is required to serve at least 85% of that term before becoming eligible for supervised release. Now 29 years old, he is incarcerated at the Evans Correctional Institution in Bennettsville, South Carolina. His projected release or parole date has not been made public. Around the same time, Nicholas Henry pled guilty to obstruction of justice and received a sentence of ten years’ probation. He has not been publicly active since then.
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