Following the grim discovery of a body wrapped in a tarp in the woods by hunters, the man has been officially identified by the Sumter County Coroner’s Office.
The man, Frederick Ricardo Nelson Jr., 34, a resident of Sumter, was positively identified through forensic testing completed with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. This identification was also confirmed by his family, Coroner Robbie Baker announced in a news release.
Following an autopsy conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, it was determined that Nelson suffered from being shot multiple times, according to the release.
No details about the shooter, or shooters, were provided. Information regarding a motive for the shooting is also currently unavailable.
No arrests have been made public by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, which is actively investigating Nelson’s death in collaboration with the coroner’s office and SLED.
The grisly discovery was made by a group of hunters around 10 a.m. last Sunday, approximately 30-40 feet off Cimmaron Road, Baker revealed.
The hunters detected a strong odor emanating from the tarp, prompting them to immediately call 911. There were a total of six hunters in the group and no other injuries were reported, according to the sheriff’s office.
Baker estimated that Nelson had been in the woods for approximately 1-2 weeks before being discovered.
Individuals with any information regarding the death are urged to contact the coroner’s office at 803-436-2111, the sheriff’s office at 803-436-2000, CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC, or to submit an online tip.
