South Carolina man charged with murder after missing roommate's remains found under fire pit: police
An Orangeburg, South Carolina, man has been charged with murder after the remains of a former roommate was found buried under a fire pit in the backyard of his home, according to police.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department said 54-year-old Sheridan Dirk Fogle of Orangeburg was arrested on Thursday and charged with the murder of 51-year-old Penni Whiteside.
The U.S. Marshals Service and Orangeburg Department of Public Safety assisted police by executing an arrest warrant at Fogle’s home on Broughton Street at about 7:30 a.m. that day in connection to a missing person and murder case that was launched on May 11, 2022.
"On June 12 in the 600 block of 1st Avenue in Myrtle Beach the remains of Penni Whiteside were located buried in the yard outside of her home," the Horry County Coroner’s office said. "Ms. Whiteside was last seen in the spring of 2022 — she was 51 years old at that time. This death is being investigated by MBPD as a homicide."
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Whiteside and Fogle lived together in 2022, according to police, and an investigation found that statements made by neighbors suggested the victim may have been buried in the backyard of her home under a fire pit.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for the property in the 600 block of 1st Avenue South in Myrtle Beach on June 12, 2024.
During the search of the property, investigators located human remains later identified as those of Whiteside.
"This is a tragic loss of life and a senseless crime of violence," Myrtle Beach police said in a Facebook post. "Please continue to pray for the family and friends of the victim."