Columbia man’s remains discovered in rural area, South Carolina coroner says

Weeks after human remains were found in a rural part of South Carolina, they were identified as a Columbia man, according to the Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office.

“We have been working diligently with our forensic partners and have concluded that the remains found are those of Maurice C. Green,” Coroner Sean Fogle said Tuesday in a news release.

The body parts were found on Aug. 19, according to the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office. They were discovered on Greywood Drive, near the intersection with U.S. 21, Fogle said. That’s in a rural part of Branchville.

Information about how the remains were located was not available, but deputies responded to the area and it was confirmed that they were human remains, according to the sheriff’s office.

Neither the cause of death nor the manner of death have been determined and both are still being investigated, Fogle said. There was no word about when Green died.

The Columbia Police Department said Green was reported missing over the summer, in South Carolina’s capital city. Green was last seen July 13 at the Hot Spot on Farrow Road, according to police.

“We are actively working this case and are committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding this discovery,” Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a news release. “We ask for the public’s assistance as we continue our investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 803-534-3550, Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC, or submit an online tip.

In the case of an emergency, always call 911.

This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 8:59 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription