Crime & Courts

Missing Richland County father and daughter found dead in SC, 100 yards from his truck

A missing man and his 6-year-old daughter were last heard from Saturday night.
A missing man and his 6-year-old daughter were last heard from Saturday night. Richland County Sheriff's Department

A father and his 6-year-old daughter whose disappearance Saturday prompted a search across the Midlands have been found dead in Calhoun County.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said the bodies of Jason and Michelle Murph were found on Lavender Lane near exit 136 off I-26 near St. Matthews around 1 p.m. Monday.

An Orangeburg County K9 unit found the bodies of Jason, 42, and Michelle approximately 100 yards from their truck.

The truck was found around noon Monday by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, leading to a search of the surrounding area.

In a statement, the sheriff’s department said that Jason Murph’s wife, Michelle’s mother, received a phone call around 8 p.m. Saturday that led them to believe that the father and daughter had been involved in a wreck and needed help.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department will be leading the investigation into the deaths, according to a statement released by the department.

In its statement, the department wrote “more information will be shared as it becomes available but the investigation is currently still ongoing... Please keep the family in your prayers.”

This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.

This story was originally published December 18, 2023 at 4:53 PM.

Ted Clifford
The State
Ted Clifford is the statewide accountability reporter at The State Newspaper. Formerly the crime and courts reporter, he has covered the Murdaugh saga, state and federal court, as well as criminal justice and public safety in the Midlands and across South Carolina. He is the recipient of the 2023 award for best beat reporting by the South Carolina Press Association.
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