Horry County coroner faced with ‘mystery’ trying to identify drowning victim
The Horry County coroner’s office has been trying to identify a man for five years. The case, first reported by WBTW, surrounds a man found drowned in a North Myrtle Beach hotel pool.
“He was just a mystery as to how he got here and what he was doing here,” Horry County Coroner Robert Edge told WBTW.
Edge said the man had no identification on him, and was wearing nice clothing.
“He’s dressed good, even though it was a little cold for what he had on,” Edge said. “I would say that he’s used to living an upscale life, able to afford nice clothes and things like that.”
The man was found in the pool at Ocean Creek Plantation. Edge said the man wasn’t staying there, no one ever filed a missing person report and there were no abandoned cars found in the area.
Detective Ken Marcus with the Horry County Police told WBTW there wasn’t a room key and there was also no indication of foul play.
The coroner’s office is running out of ways to figure out who the man is.
“He was fingerprinted and he was run through the state system and in the FBI, too — no prints on file,” Edge said. “They’re doing some DNA work, but we’ve not found a match.”
Edge said there did not appear to be drug use involved and thinks the man could be from North Carolina. He hopes someone will recognize him so he will no longer be known as John Doe.
“I know there’s some family out there who would want know where he’s at and what’s going on with him,” Edge said. “I mean, we can keep him for years and years, but I look at the other side and I know somebody’s missing him.”
