South Carolina man charged with murder after body of woman missing for 2 years found in backyard fire pit

A man has been charged with murder after the remains of a woman missing for two years were found buried under the fireplace in the garden of a house in South Carolina earlier this summer.

According to Myrtle Beach police, an arrest warrant was served Thursday in the 1800 block of Broughton Street in Orangeburg for 54-year-old Sheridan Dirk Fogle in connection with the missing person case and murder of Penni Whiteside.

Whiteside was last seen on May 11, 2022, and was living with Fogle at the time in a home in the 600 block of 1st Avenue, police said. She was 51 years old.

The relationship between Whiteside and Fogle is currently unclear.

“Further investigation revealed that, based on statements from her neighbors, there is reason to believe that she may have been buried near the residence, in the backyard under a fire pit,” Myrtle Beach police said in a press release.

Whiteside's remains were found buried in the backyard of the home during a search on June 12, the Horry County Coroner's Office said. A cause of death was not released 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 victim's family and friends.”

Fogle was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County on Friday, where he remains held, according to online records. No bail has been set for him.

It is currently unclear if Fogle has an attorney or when his next hearing will take place.