Rugby league star Bryn Hargreaves found dead in woodland directly across the ... trends now
A former rugby league star missing for 14 months was found in woodland directly across the road from his home in West Virginia, it emerged tonight.
Local people criticised the Sheriff's Department on their own Facebook page after the remains of ex-St Helens player Bryn Hargreaves, 37, were formally identified after being discovered last month.
The remains were found in late February but only identified yesterday and Mr Hargreaves' family in Wigan informed.
According to a statement on the Monongalia County Sheriff's office Facebook page, a 'large-scale search' of the area around Cheat Lake, where Mr Hargreaves lived was carried out by members of their department, police, fire search and rescue, the FBI, a mountain rescue group MECCA 911 and volunteers 'over a several month period with negative success.'
But locals in the area were critical, with one woman asking, 'Where were they looking?'
Bryn retired from rugby aged just 26 after becoming disillusioned with the game and then moved to the US to work in the oil and gas industry
His body was found in woodland (pictured) directly across the road from his home in West Virginia, it emerged tonight
Bryn, pictured with his ex-wife Amy, was reported missing in January last year when he failed to turn up for work
Resident Michael Weber posted: 'How can you do a 'large scale search' and not find his body which was found LITERALLY across the street from Whisper Creek Apartments!!!!! I'm calling BS on this one folks'
Mr Hargreaves was reported missing after he did not turn up for work last January, sparking a major police hunt in West Virginia.
At the time of his disappearance, he had retired from rugby and was working as a gas and oil pipe safety inspector and was living alone following his divorce from Amy Lombardo two years previously.
Yesterday his brother Gareth confirmed Bryn's death with a post on Facebook: 'RIP Bryn Hargreaves. With incredible sadness I can confirm after 14 months we have finally found Bryn.
Bryn vanished from his home in Whisper Creek, just outside Morgantown in West Virginia (pictured) where he had moved following retirement from rugby
Bryn's home was discovered empty and police said they were sure he was not using his Jeep, pictured
