GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA: The remains of a 56-year-old amputee who had been missing for over two weeks were discovered inside a floating barrel in Lake Thicketty, located in rural Cherokee County. Law enforcement officials made the chilling find on Thursday afternoon, June 29, at around 1.45 pm, following a call to the scene in the small town of Gaffney.
Upon arrival, deputies observed a 42-gallon vat floating near the shore. After prying it open, they were confronted with the horrifying sight of Jeffrey Sutphin's body. The county coroner confirmed that the remains had been concealed within the container for an undetermined number of days.
Investigation points to neighboring county
Authorities proceeded to interview a person of interest, leading them to conclude that Sutphin, a resident of Cherokee County, had likely been killed in the neighboring Spartanburg County. Following the grim discovery, law enforcement officials arrested Eric Shawn Fetzer, a 25-year-old individual, on charges of destruction, desecration, or removal of human remains. However, investigators anticipate further arrests in the ongoing case.
Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler described the initial finding in a news release, stating, "Deputies found the barrel near the shore and upon opening it found human remains." Fowler also anticipated additional arrests in the days to come. "It appears the body had been in the container for a number of days. Since the discovery, investigators were able to confirm late Thursday that the death occurred in Spartanburg County. This morning I transferred the remains to Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger who will assume the death investigation as is protocol. My office role will only be a recovery to assist another agency," he added. Collaboration between the Department of Natural Resources, Cherokee County Emergency Management, and Spartanburg County Emergency Management facilitated the recovery of the body.
Suspicion of foul play
Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger issued a statement on Saturday, July 1, confirming the identity of the deceased as Jeffrey Sutphin and expressing suspicions of foul play in his death. Clevenger revealed that the body had been transported to Cherokee County in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime. Based on information provided by a person of interest, whose identity remains undisclosed, the case has been transferred to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office.
Cherokee Sheriff Steve Mueller pledged his department's unwavering support to assist Spartanburg County deputies in identifying the perpetrator(s) responsible for Sutphin's death. "We've still got about four investigators out working, as we speak, running down some leads and some information on this case," Mueller stated on Friday, June 30. "It's part of an ongoing investigation that led us to that area to search and look for human remains."
Who is Jeffrey Sutphin?
Limited information is available about Jeffrey Sutphin, apart from the fact that an extensive search had been underway since his disappearance was first reported on June 15. The victim, who was missing his right leg and relied on a prosthetic device, was last seen in Chesnee on June 4 when he was seen leaving a business on Rutherfordton Highway around 8 pm ET. He was wearing a blue short sleeve shirt, blue jeans, black shoes at the time, according to the police. The city of Chesnee, where the Cherokee resident was last seen, is situated in both the Spartanburg and Cherokee counties. Authorities have not released additional details regarding his disappearance or the ongoing investigation, including whether his death is being treated as a homicide.
The search for answers continues as law enforcement officials work tirelessly to unravel the circumstances surrounding Sutphin's disappearance and subsequent death. Meanwhile, the gold 2006 Jeep Liberty that Sutphin was driving when he vanished remains unaccounted for. The investigation remains active as of Sunday, July 2.
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