The body of musician Justin Lowe was discovered near the St. Croix River in Minnesota, the New Richmond News reports. The founding guitarist of the metalcore band After the Burial was 32 at the time of his death.
Lowe’s body was discovered by a hiker on Tuesday, July 21, after he had been reported missing since July 18.
Lowe reportedly posted a lengthy Facebook message about his decision to leave the group back in June. Soon after, the band’s official Facebook page shared a note, writing, “This is a very sad and hurtful situation for us to grasp, and unfortunately it is one we still don't fully understand. Our dear friend, our brother onstage and off, has fallen into a very broken state of mind. A state that, despite our continued efforts, we have been powerless to get him out of.”
The group’s site also noted that Lowe had been missing before, writing on June 25, “We are very sorry we haven't made a statement until now, but there is reasoning behind our decision. Early yesterday after he made the post, he went missing for the entire day. He was in minimal contact with only a few people over the phone, and the information we gathered from them gave us reason to believe he was unsafe in his current state of mind.”
Lowe’s fellow bandmates went on to indicate that Lowe was seemingly suffering from a mental health disorder.
“Justin is ill, and right now he needs more than ever to be shown that the world is not against him,” they wrote. “He needs support and love from everyone, and to know that we only want what's best for him. We will continue to support him and his family as best we can through this tough time.”
Authorities told the New Richmond News that they believe Lowe’s injuries are consistent with a fall. No cause of death has been released.
