Body found near Food Lion in Richland County deemed accidental

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Columbia Police has given an update on last week’s suspicious death investigation at the 5100 block of Fairfield Road.

According to officers, the death has been deemed accidental by the Richland County Coroner’s Office.

And the man was identified as 72-year-old Robert Thomas.

He was found in a wooded area by lawn care workers on Thursday, Aug.8.

Original Story (Posted: Aug. 9, 2024):

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – The Columbia Police Department is investigating a suspicious death after a body was found in a wooded area near a Food Lion on Thursday.

Officers say they were called to a wooded area on Ashley Street, right off the Food Lion on Fairfield Road where the body was found, around 4 p.m.

When investigators arrived to the scene, they located a white male between the ages of 65 to 75 years of age at the rear of the Food Lion.

The cause of death is being investigated by the Richland County Coroner’s Office and toxicology results are pending.

CPD is investigating the incident as a suspicious death.  And said there is no threat to the general public.