Body found in Columbia garbage can identified and being investigated as ‘homicide’

The case of the woman whose body was discovered inside a garbage can at a convenience store near the Prisma Health Richland hospital complex in Colonial Heights is being treated as a possible murder.

“This is a tragedy and it is being investigated as a homicide,” said Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford Friday morning.

Rutherford identified the deceased as Domonique M. Palmero-Pohl, 32, of Columbia.

“We will continue working with the Columbia Police Department to fully investigate this incident,” Rutherford said.

There was no word on the cause of death, how long the body had been there or how officials identified the body.

The woman’s body was found shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday behind the Q-Mart at the intersection of Academy Street and Colonial Drive. That’s a few blocks north of Farrow Road and two blocks east of Prisma Health Richland Hospital.

The Columbia Police Department posted a short video on X, formerly known as Twitter, of its crime scene van parked on the curb beside a parking lot surrounded by police tape.

This is a breaking news story and may be updated