Missing Woman Bled to Death from Stabbing

West Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) — Lexington County authorities say a missing woman who was found murdered bled to death after being stabbed in the chest. West Columbia police say 73-year-old Marion Wilkes and, son, 23-year-old Joseph Cody Wilkes killed their wife and mother, Susan Wilkes and kept her body in the garage of the family home for more than a week before taking it to a different location where, police believe, they buried it. Authorities say the two men led them to where they buried the body in a wooded area behind a house in Little Mountain, some 20 miles from the suspects’ West Columbia home. “We believe she was murdered at the residence, wrapped up in a tarp in the garage for several days before being buried,” said police chief Dennis Tyndall. According to the Lexington County coroner’s office, Susan Wilkes bled to death after being stabbed in the chest. Both her husband and son are charged in the killing. Marion Wilkes had reported his wife missing June 14th, after he said she went fro a walk in the neighborhood June 12th. “Why would you wait two to three days before reporting your wife missing?” said Tyndall during a press briefing with reporters. “In our business, that’s a red flag.” Then, Tyndall said, both suspects’ stories became consistently inconsistent, and they ‘were able to obtain a confession from one.” Folks who live in the otherwise quiet neighborhood are still in disbelief. “That is so disturbing,” said Melba Ivey, a West Columbia resident. “It’s hard to imagine anything like that was happening.” “Just seeing them in passing you would never know there was discord in the house,” said Charlie Buorton, another resident.” Investigators suspect, but haven’t confirmed, money was the motive. They say the husband and son needed it; the wife had it. “Sometimes blood isn’t thicker than water I guess,” said Little Mountain resident, Victor Sulton. In addition to murder, both men are charged with simple possession of marijuana. They will remain behind bars at the Lexington County detention center until a first appearance hearing.