Lexington County man charged in Memorial Day beating death of veteran

A Lexington County man is charged with murder in the Memorial Day weekend beating death of a 76-year-old veteran.

Christopher Wayne Trueblood, of Gaston, was arrested late Tuesday night by Lexington County deputies, according to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office. He was charged with murder in the killing of 76-year-old Kenneth Goodwin, whose body was found under a tarp outside his Wagener home on Memorial Day.

Goodwin was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, according to his obituary.

Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton said Goodwin died from multiple blunt force trauma to the head and body.

Investigators discovered that Goodwin's Ford Ranger was missing from his home, said Capt. Eric Abdullah of the Aiken County Sheriff's Office. The truck was found in early June in Lexington County. Trueblood faces a charge of grand larceny for the theft.

There has been no word yet on a possible motive for the killing. Trueblood remains in the Aiken County Detention Center.

This story was originally published July 5, 2018 at 10:12 AM.