Missing Clemson University student found dead, SC cops say

A Clemson University student who was reported missing has been found dead, according to the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.

John Andrew Martin Jr, was found dead in his car in Sevier County, Tennessee, according to Chief Deputy Chad Brooks of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.

Martin was a member of the staff at WSBF-FM, the student-run radio station in Clemson said on Twitter. He was a junior at Clemson who majored in Forest Resource Management, according to the station.

The 21-year-old was last seen at about 11 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. Martin was at a Clemson-area residence before he went missing, according to the release.

The sheriff’s office reported him missing Thursday.

Investigators followed various leads that indicated Martin may be in the Sevierville, Tennessee, area and contacted the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office and asked for assistance, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

Deputies with the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office found Martin dead in his gray 2006 Mazda MZ3 hatchback, according to Brooks.

“The prayers of the entire Pickens County Sheriff’s Office are with this family and I hope that people will respect their need for privacy as they deal with this tragedy,” Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark said in a statement. “I would also like to give my sincere thanks to the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee for their willingness to assist our Detectives during this investigation.”

The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office is investigating Martin’s death, Brooks said.

This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 12:26 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription