Remains of Richland County soldier missing for five years found
If you or a loved one has considered suicide, speak to a councilor with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273-8255.
The remains of a Fort Jackson soldier missing since 2015 have been found, and law enforcement officials have determined the cause of his death, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told reporters Friday.
The soldier, who was reported missing in December 2015, died by suicide, Lott said.
In most cases, The State does not identify people who die by suicide.
After the soldier, who was in his thirties, was reported missing, Richland County deputies searched his home, Lott said. Most of his belongings were still there except a missing item investigators recently found near the soldier’s remains.
Deputies in 2015 searched the immediate area around his home, but did not find the soldier.
In 2018, the sheriff’s department’s cold case squad took over the investigation.
“We suspected suicide, but in cases like this, the family doesn’t know, we don’t know, nobody knows what happened,” Lott said.
In December 2019, someone found some remains about a half mile from his home, Lott said. Investigators examined the remains and extracted DNA.
“There was really no reason for us to be looking that far away,” Lott said.
On Oct. 3, deputies found more remains throughout the search area. On Oct. 30, investigators located the missing item.
Lott said he was glad the completion of the investigation could provide the soldier’s family with some closure.
“While a loved one is not found the way they’d like to be found, there’s some closure for this family,” Lott said.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy did we report on suicide?
Discussion of suicide can be difficult, especially for people who may already be thinking of harming themselves. As a general practice, The State does not report on suicides unless they involve prominent individuals or occur in public places. In the case of this story, we felt the incident warranted fact-based reporting accessible to members of our community.
The State generally does not identify individuals who die by suicide unless it is a public figure.
The State maintains rigorous standards when reporting on public health issues like suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255, or calling or texting 988, or texting HOME to 741741.
