Stays of amputee, 56, discovered inside a barrel floating on a South Carolina lake: Man, 25, is charged
The stays of a 56-year-old amputee who went lacking greater than two weeks in the past has been recovered – stuffed in barrel discovered floating in a South Carolina lake.
Legislation enforcement in rural Cherokee County made the disturbing discovery round 1:45pm ET Thursday, after being summoned to 100-acre Lake Thicketty in small-town Gaffney.
Deputies reportedly arrived to the scene to seek out the 42-gallon vat floating close to the shore – and upon opening it found the physique of 56-year-old Jeffrey Sutphin. Upon analyzing the corpse, a coroner confirmed it had been locked away for ‘a quantity’ of days.
After figuring out the physique, officers mentioned they interviewed an individual of curiosity – throughout which they realized Cherokee resident Sutphin, who was lacking his proper leg, was probably killed someplace in neighboring Spartanburg County, a quick drive away.
Sutphin was reportedly final seen on June 15 in Chesnee, which is about in each counties. Police have since made a single arrest following the grim discover – charging Eric Shawn Fetzer, 25, with destruction, desecration or elimination of human stays.
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The stays of 56-year-old Jeffrey Sutphin, who went lacking in rural Cherokee County greater than two weeks in the past, was recovered Thursday – after being stuffed in barrel that was discovered floating in an 100-acre lake not removed from the place he disappeared
Police have since made a single arrest following the grim discover – charging 25-year-old Eric Shawn Fetzer with destruction, desecration or elimination of human stays
‘Deputies discovered the barrel close to the shore and upon opening it discovered human stays,’ Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler wrote in a information launch Friday, as investigating deputies mentioned they anticipate extra arrests within the coming days.
‘It seems the physique had been within the container for a variety of days.’
She added: ‘Because the discovery, investigators had been in a position to verify late Thursday that the demise occurred in Spartanburg County.
‘This morning I transferred the stays to Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger who will assume the demise investigation as is protocol.
‘My workplace position will solely be a restoration to help one other company.’
In an earlier replace, police in Cherokee County mentioned they acquired a name to the scene at 1:45pm ET, after which they discovered the lacking man’s stays after pulling the partially submerged barrel ashore and prying it open.
Members of the Division of Pure Sources, Cherokee County Emergency Administration, and Spartanburg County Emergency Administration additionally assisted with the restoration.
After coming into possession of the physique Friday, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger penned his personal assertion Saturday – one that exposed the corpse belonged to Sutphin, and that officers suspected foul play in his demise.
In it, Clevenger claimed Sutphin ‘was taken to Cherokee County in try to cover the demise.’
Legislation enforcement in rural Cherokee County made the disturbing discovery round 1:45pm ET Thursday, after being summoned to 100-acre Lake Thicketty in small-town Gaffney.
After figuring out the physique, officers mentioned they interviewed an individual of curiosity – throughout which they realized Cherokee resident Sutphin was probably killed someplace in neighboring Spartanburg County, a quick drive away
Sutphin – who had a prosthetic proper leg – was final seen in early carrying a blue brief sleeve shirt, blue denims, black footwear, and a inexperienced ball whereas leaving a enterprise in Chesnee, which is about in each counties
Officers reportedly got here to the conclusion after interviewing the particular person of curiosity, who has but to be recognized – and whose account was apparently sufficient to have the case transferred to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Workplace
Officers reportedly got here to the conclusion after interviewing the particular person of curiosity, who has but to be recognized – and whose account was apparently sufficient to have the case transferred to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Workplace.
Deputies mentioned they anticipate to make extra arrests quickly, after deputies in Cherokee apprehended 25-year-old Feltzer after the aforementioned interview.
Previous to that arrest, Cherokee Sheriff Steve Mueller described his division’s ongoing effort to assist Spartanburg County deputies discover the perpetrator or perpetrators accountable.
He mentioned Friday: ‘We’ve nonetheless acquired about 4 investigators out working, as we converse, working down some leads and a few info on this case.
‘It’s a part of an ongoing investigation that led us to that space to go looking and search for human stays.’
He additional added of the probe’s success so far: ‘It’s creating pretty properly.’
‘Deputies discovered the barrel close to the shore and upon opening it discovered human stays,’ Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler wrote in a information launch Friday, as investigating deputies mentioned they anticipate extra arrests within the coming days
‘It seems the physique had been within the container for a variety of days,’ officers mentioned following the invention on the South Carolina lake
Officers haven’t launched every other particulars surrounding his disappearance nor the continued investigation, or whether or not his demise is being handled as a murder. Officers’ investigation, as of Sunday, continues to be ongoing
As for Sutphin, not a lot is thought in regards to the deceased – apart for the very fact an enormous search had been in impact since he was reported lacking on June 15, after he was seen leaving a enterprise on Rutherfordton Freeway on June 4 at round 8:00 pm ET.
Buddies or kinfolk presumably reported the sufferer – who acquaintances mentioned used a prosthetic proper leg – lacking after greater than every week with none phrase.
Officers haven’t launched every other particulars surrounding his disappearance nor the continued investigation, or whether or not his demise is being handled as a murder.
The automobile Sutphin had been driving when he was final seen – a gold 2006 Jeep Liberty – has but to be recovered. Officers’ investigation, as of Sunday, continues to be ongoing.
