Body of woman missing for 2 years found under fireplace in backyard – roommate charged with murder

A man has been arrested and charged with the murder of his former roommate, whose body had been missing for more than two years and was found buried under a fire pit earlier this summer, police said.

Penni Whiteside's remains were discovered buried in the yard outside her home in the 600 block of 1st Avenue in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on June 12, according to a statement from Myrtle Beach police. She had been missing since the spring of 2022. She was 51 years old at the time of her disappearance.

Neighbors told police they had reason to believe Whiteside was buried under the fire pit in the backyard of their home, where 54-year-old Sheridan Dirk Fogle also lived at the time, police said.

“The warrant stems from the missing person case and the original incident that occurred on May 11, 2022 in the 600 block of 1st Avenue South. As stated in the original report, the identified victim had been living with the perpetrator. Further investigation revealed that, based on statements from her neighbors, there was reason to believe that she may have been buried near the residence in the backyard under a fire pit,” Myrtle Beach Police said. “On June 12, 2024, investigators obtained a search warrant for the property in question. During the search, the victim's remains were recovered and identified.”

Whiteside's death was being investigated as a homicide by authorities when an arrest warrant was served for Fogle in the 1800 block of Broughton Street in Orangeburg, South Carolina, around 7:30 a.m. Thursday morning in connection with a “missing person and homicide case.”

Fogle was arrested in connection with Whiteside's death on Thursday and has since been charged with murder, authorities said.

“This is a tragic loss of life and a senseless crime of violence. Please continue to pray for the victim's family and friends,” authorities said. “The Myrtle Beach Police Department is committed to seeking justice and holding those who cause harm accountable. Thank you to the U.S. Marshals Service-Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety for their assistance in making an arrest in this case.”

Fogle appeared in court Friday, and a judge did not set bail for the suspect, ABC News affiliate WPDE of Florence, South Carolina reported. However, the judge in Myrtle Beach confirmed that the case against Fogle would be transferred to General Sessions Court and that two more court dates have been scheduled for Oct. 25 and Dec. 13.

The investigation is currently ongoing and authorities have stated that no further information will be released at this time.