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Foul smell leads police to human remains in a suitcase, South Carolina cops say

The remains were found inside an abandoned building, South Carolina officials said.
The remains were found inside an abandoned building, South Carolina officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

The search for a missing person led to the discovery of human remains in a suitcase, South Carolina officials told news outlets.

The Walterboro Police Department said its officers were investigating the disappearance when they smelled a “foul odor of possible decomposition emitting from an abandoned building.” A person was found dead in a suitcase inside the building, according to a news release that The Press and Standard shared on Facebook.

The grim discovery was reported April 10 in Walterboro, a roughly 50-mile drive west from Charleston.

Officers said the remains belonged to a 32-year-old woman who likely was last seen a month ago but wasn’t reported missing until the day she was found dead. Autopsy results are pending, WCIV reported.

In response to McClatchy News’ request for information, the S.C. Law Enforcement Division in an email said Walterboro officers requested its help with an “investigation regarding the discovery of human remains.” The state agency asked that other questions about the case be directed to police.

The Walterboro Police Department and the Colleton County coroner’s office didn’t immediately share additional details with McClatchy News on April 12.

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This story was originally published April 12, 2024 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Foul smell leads police to human remains in a suitcase, South Carolina cops say."

Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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