The body of Darryl Eugene Hunt, who served nearly 20 years in prison before DNA results exonerated him in a 1984 murder, was found Sunday morning in Winston-Salem.Hunt's body was found inside a vehicle in the 2800 block of University Parkway, WXII 12 News learned. Police did not say how Hunt died.Officers responded to the scene about 12:20 a.m.Police had issued a Silver Alert for the 51-year-old Hunt Saturday evening. In the Saturday news release, authorities said he was last seen nine days ago near Garfield Court.Hunt was convicted in 1984 for the murder and rape of newspaper copy editor Deborah Sykes and served 19 years in prison. He was exonerated after DNA evidence led police to Willard Brown, who confessed to the slaying.After his release from prison, Hunt was pardoned by then Governor Mike Easley. A citizens review committee uncovered mistakes in the police investigation, and the city of Winston-Salem awarded him $1.6 million.Hunt later founded the Darryl Hunt Project for Freedom and Justice, an advocacy group for the wrongfully convicted.In 2008, about four years after his release from prison, Hunt spoke with WXII 12's Wanda Starke. We've posted the video below. If you don't see it, click here.Darryl Hunt HTML

The body of Darryl Eugene Hunt, who served nearly 20 years in prison before DNA results exonerated him in a 1984 murder, was found Sunday morning in Winston-Salem.

Hunt's body was found inside a vehicle in the 2800 block of University Parkway, WXII 12 News learned. Police did not say how Hunt died.

Officers responded to the scene about 12:20 a.m.

Police had issued a Silver Alert for the 51-year-old Hunt Saturday evening. In the Saturday news release, authorities said he was last seen nine days ago near Garfield Court.

Hunt was convicted in 1984 for the murder and rape of newspaper copy editor Deborah Sykes and served 19 years in prison. He was exonerated after DNA evidence led police to Willard Brown, who confessed to the slaying.



After his release from prison, Hunt was pardoned by then Governor Mike Easley. A citizens review committee uncovered mistakes in the police investigation, and the city of Winston-Salem awarded him $1.6 million.

Hunt later founded the Darryl Hunt Project for Freedom and Justice, an advocacy group for the wrongfully convicted.

In 2008, about four years after his release from prison, Hunt spoke with WXII 12's Wanda Starke. We've posted the video below. If you don't see it, click here.