COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Sumter County Sheriff’s Department is investigating after a body was found Sunday afternoon in a wooded area off Highway 15 on Loman Road. Residents had complained of a foul smell coming from the area.
The body has been identified as 31-year-old Howard Alexander Hodge, a Sumter resident.
Five homes are located on the dead-end road where Hodge’s body was discovered.
“I’ve lived here basically all my life,” said Sumter resident Diamond Goins, who lives in one of the nearby homes. “When I came back from work the other day, my grandfather told me they found a body in the woods. I was like, ‘That’s kind of odd because this is a quiet, private road,’” Goins explained.
Residents like Goins were shocked to hear the news of a body found near their homes, especially given how tight-knit the neighborhood is.
“The only people that come down here are the ones that live here, so for that to happen, it was like, ‘Oh no,’” said Goins.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Department reported that the body was found around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Since then, they have examined the scene, but residents like Goins remain on high alert.
“It does worry me a lot more because me and my grandfather will be out late at night working in the yard and stuff. But knowing this just happened, it’s keeping us on our toes, and we don’t really want to be out as much,” Goins said.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Department, along with the coroner, stated that there were no indications of trauma or foul play. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday at MUSC.
The investigation is ongoing.