BENNETTSVILLE — The Bennettsville Police Department announced the discovery and investigation into human remains found inside a trash can at Westwood Park Apartments on Evergreen Court last Thursday, saying clothing believed to belong to a missing Chesterfield County woman, Lashaunda Spurlock, has also been recovered. Authorities are now working towards confirming the identity of the deceased.
Bennettsville Police Chief Sammy Crosland said investigators found the clothing Spurlock was last seen wearing during their search of the complex, leading to a joint investigation by investigators with the Bennettsville and Chesterfield County Police Departments attempting to determine whether the remains are connected to the 2020 disappearance of Lashaunda Spurlock.
Missing
Lashaunda Spurlock was 42-years old on April 29, 2024, the day she slipped from sight getting into an older model, four-door red car on Coit Chapman Lane.
When the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office publicized her disappearance, officials reported Spurlock had a learning disability and may have been trying to travel to New York to meet a man she had been communicating with online.
In the intervening years, Spurlock’s family tirelessly searched for her and Spurlock’s case was even featured on Dateline’s Missing in America television series.
The discovery
According to information made public by Chief Crosland, the remains were removed from a storage facility located on the apartment complex premises, where they had been stored since the alleged time of death, until recent days when they were suddenly transferred to a trashcan. Crosland says after a neighbor rolled the trashcan to the curb for pickup; a garbage truck operator found the container to be unwieldy and difficult to maneuver. Inspecting further, the operator found the skeletal remains hidden inside and investigators were then called to the complex.
Arrest
Following the discovery of the bones, BPD officers quickly zeroed in on one apartment complex resident in particular.
Luke Douglas Jr. was taken into custody and questioned by the BPD Monday. Believed to be the last person in contact with Spurlock, Bennettsville police announced Tuesday they arrested Douglas Jr. in connection with the investigation.
Since his arrest, Douglas reportedly confessed to storing the human remains inside a storage facility located at the apartment complex before disposing of them inside the trash can, according to the Bennettsville Police Department.
Douglas’ potential motive for recently moving the remains was also shared by the BPD, who said it is believed Douglas moved the remains in response to his impending eviction from the Westwood Park Apartments.
Crosland, who described the remains found as “skeletal,” said Douglas tried to conceal the bones with blankets. He added that Douglas’s girlfriend claimed to be entirely unaware of the existence of the remains.
Where the investigation stands now
Marlboro County law enforcement and the Marlboro County Coroner’s Office stress the remains found inside the trashcan have not been identified and have not been confirmed to belong to Spurlock or any other currently known missing person.
Tuesday, Douglas was charged with graves/destruction, and desecration or removal of human remains, according to the Marlboro County Detention Center.
Police say the case remains under investigation and they are working with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Marlboro County Coroner’s Office, the Chesterfield County Coroner’s Office and the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office for a speedy resolution to the case.
In a released statement, Crosland called the case “complex and deeply concerning for our community,” adding, “While this is a significant step forward, we remain committed to seeing this investigation through to completion, ensuring justice for the victim and their family.”
Marlboro County Coroner De’Aron Smith has also assured the public, and the Spurlock family, his office is doing all it can to find answers.
“My team and I are working tirelessly, employing a meticulous forensic identification process that adheres to the highest standards of integrity and care. This process takes time — and rightly so,” Smith said, adding all pertinent information will be shared with the public in a “timely and transparent manner.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Bennettsville Police Department at 843-479-3620 or emergency services at 843-479-1111.