Kohlhepp investigation expands beyond S.C.

Another grave was found on Todd Kohlhepp’s 96-acre property near Woodruff, and the investigation surrounding the Spartanburg real estate agent has expanded beyond South Carolina.

Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said Sunday evening that human remains were found in a grave site, one of two Kohlhepp showed investigators on Saturday.

“We are in the process of trying to get that person removed from here and get a positive identification,” Wright said. “We can’t tell anything about the cause of death, the gender, how long or any of that stuff.”

Investigators with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, State Law Enforcement Division and the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office spent Sunday excavating an area Kohlhepp told them about Saturday.

Kohlhepp, 45, was arrested Thursday and charged with kidnapping a missing Anderson woman, who was found chained inside a metal cargo container on the property.

Friday, investigators found the body of the Anderson woman’s boyfriend, Charles David Carver. He had been reported missing along with the Anderson woman.

Investigators said Saturday that Kohlhepp confessed to the notorious Superbike murders, one of the most prominent unsolved homicides in Spartanburg County.

In that incident, someone entered the Parris Bridge Road store in Chesnee and executed Scott Ponder, 30; Beverly Guy, 52; Brian Lucas, 29; and Chris Sherbert, 26.

Sunday – the 13th anniversary of the Superbike killings – Kohlhepp was charged with four counts of murder from the incident. He was denied bond.

“Just because we broke a case last night, that doesn’t automatically mean that the families are okay,” Wright said Sunday evening. “This is just another step in the grieving process for them. I have no idea how they feel. I know they were rejoicing last night.”

Wright said the investigation into what Kohlhepp did between the Superbike killings and his recent activity in Woodruff is not limited to South Carolina.

“We’re not going to close a door on anything until we’re sure. We’re not ruling anything out until we’re sure,” he said. “We’re not limiting our investigation to South Carolina at all.”

Kohlhepp has not yet been charged with the death of Charles Carver. Wright said Sunday there was no timeline for determining when charges may be filed in that case.

The area surrounding the 96-acre property was full of activity, law enforcement and otherwise, Sunday.

George and Joanne McKinney of Greer were at the scene Saturday and Sunday.

The couple spent part of Saturday talking with Carver’s family. Sunday, Joanne McKinney placed a makeshift memorial on the fence of the Kohlhepp property.

She made a cross out of burlap and placed a small bouquet of flowers underneath it.

“It just breaks my heart,” she said. “There is nothing we can do for Charlie anymore, but we can keep their families in our hearts and prayers and the other victims who are out there.”

Scott Waldrop, 45, lives next door to the Woodruff property. He said he planted trees and put up no-trespassing signs along the property for Kohlhepp about a year ago.

Waldrop said hunters that used to hunt on the property were barred shortly after Kohlhepp bought it.

“He didn’t want anyone on his property,” he said on Saturday. “He said your hunting days are over.”

Kohlhepp once ran two hunters off the property in the middle of the night, Waldrop said.

Waldrop said he once saw the container in which deputies believe the Anderson woman was kept.

“If he thought I knew something, I might be dead too,” he said.

This story was originally published November 6, 2016 at 10:58 PM with the headline "Kohlhepp investigation expands beyond S.C.."