Richland County coroner identifies victim found near Lower Richland High School

RICHLAND COUNTY, SC The Richland County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim that was found in a heavily wooded area near Lower Richland High School Sunday morning.

Coroner Gary Watts said 53-year-old Francena Higgins, of Oswego, was pronounced dead in the emergency of a local hospital at 9:45 a.m. Sunday. An autopsy conducted on Higgins shows that she died from homicidal violence, Watts said.

Sgt. Kevin Lawrence, A Richland County Sheriff’s Department spokesman, said deputies found an unoccupied vehicle with the keys inside and unlocked, while parked in the middle of the road on the 5300 block of Lower Richland Blvd.

After the road hazard was towed, deputies searched the area, and an unresponsive female was found in nearby woods at 5:30 a.m., Lawrence said.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Richland County coroner identifies victim found near Lower Richland High School."