A man has been charged with murder after the remains of a woman missing for two years were found buried under the firepit in the yard of a South Carolina home earlier this summer.
A warrant for the arrest of Sheridan Dirk Fogle, 54, was served in the 1800 block of Broughton Street in Orangeburg Thursday in connection to the missing person case and murder of Penni Whiteside, according to the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
Whiteside was last seen on May 11, 2022 and had been living with Fogle in a home at the 600 block of 1st Avenue at the time, police said. She was 51 years old.
The relationship between Whiteside and Fogle is not clear at this time.
"Further investigation revealed that due to statements made by her neighbors, there was reason to believe that she may have been buried near the residence, in the backyard under a firepit," the Myrtle Beach Police Department said in news release.
Whiteside's remains were found buried in the yard of the home during a search on June 12, per the Horry County Coroner's office. A cause of death was not disclosed by the coroner's office.
"This is a tragic loss of life and a senseless crime of violence," police said. "Please continue to pray for the family and friends of the victim."
Fogle was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County on Friday where he is still being held, according to online records. No bail has been set for him.
It's not clear at this time if Fogle has an attorney, or when his next hearing will be.
