South Congaree, SC – Lexington County deputies responded to the 200 block of Haleywood Lane right before 9 am Tuesday morning after receiving a request for a welfare check. Haleywood Lane is in an area off West Dunbar Road near the Columbia Metro Airport, Southland Memorial Gardens, and the town of South Congraee.
During the welfare check, deputies found a deceased adult female inside a home.
Because of a potential conflict of interest, Sheriff Jay Koon has asked the State Law Enforcement Division to lead the investigation into the woman’s death.
These types of investigative hand-offs are standard operating procedure in some cases with circumstances that are seen as out of the ordinary. For instance, if the deceased is an employee, or an immediate family member of an employee of the department that would normally lead the investigation, the law enforcement agency would pass the duties of the investigation on to the state or another agency. This could also apply if the decedent is a close friend, a former associate, or someone who in any way might stir emotions that could be seen as clouding the outlook or judgment of the employees tasked with investigating the death.
According to The Lexington Ledger's legal adviser, Dayne Phillips, these procedures are in place to ensure fairness of an investigation and are used if there is even an appearance of a conflict of interest. It prevents the integrity of the investigation from being questioned at a later time.
The Lexington Ledger will continue to update this story as we learn more.
Photo by: WLTX
