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On June 15, 2023, 56-year-old Jeffrey Sutphin was reported missing, and last week, authorities located his remains stuffed in a barrel floating in a South Carolina lake. Following the discovery, authorities took 25-year-old Eric Shawn Fetzer into custody, suspecting his involvement in the crime.
As per FOX Carolina, the barrel containing human remains was discovered on June 29, 2023, at Lake Thicketty in Gaffney. The sheriff's deputies and the Cherokee County coroner were summoned to the boat ramp near Trout View Road at about 1:45 pm.
Jeffrey Sutphin's remains had been in the barrel for days
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, along with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Cherokee County Emergency Management, and Spartanburg County Emergency Management, worked together to investigate the crime. WYFF reported that on June 30, 2023, Eric Shawn Fetzer was charged with the destruction, desecration, or removal of human remains.
Officials discovered Sutphin's remains after they hauled the partly submerged barrel to the shore and opened it. The Spartanburg County Coroner's Office then determined that the corpse in the barrel belonged to Jeffrey Sutphin, and the sheriff's office confirmed that he was earlier reported missing.
According to a report by Fox News, Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler informed that Jeffrey Sutphin's corpse was probably in the barrel for a few days.
"Deputies found the barrel near the shore and upon opening it found human remains. It appears the body had been in the container for a number of days," he said.
Fox News reported that investigators suspect foul play with regard to the corpse in the barrel.
Authorities expect to make more arrests in the case
Prior to the discovery of the corpse and after Jeffrey Sutphin was reported missing, FOX Carolina reported that he was last spotted at about 8:00 pm on June 4, 2023, on Rutherfordton Highway in Chesnee. He was reportedly wearing a blue short sleeve shirt, blue jeans, black shoes, and a green cap and was driving a gold 2006 jeep liberty with SC license plate X679803.
Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller spoke to the publication about the case at the time and said:
"We’ve still got about four investigators out working, as we speak, running down some leads and some information on this case. It’s developing fairly well. It’s part of an ongoing investigation that led us to that area to search and look for human remains."
The Cherokee County Coroner's Office reportedly determined that Jeffrey Sutphin was killed in Spartanburg County following an interview with a person of interest. The case was then handed over for further investigation to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office and the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office.
Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller stated that as the investigation into this case progresses, additional arrests are expected to be made, as per WYFF.
