Son: Father’s body found under his crawl space

PENDLETON, S.C. (AP) — The son of a 75-year-old Pendleton man who hasn’t been seen for more than six weeks says he thinks a body found under the crawl space of his parents’ home is his missing father.

Michael Thomas told the Anderson Independent-Mail (http://bit.ly/osvPu4) that he smelled a strong odor Wednesday while helping his mother move from the home, then looked under the duplex and found the body.

James Thomas’ family say he suffered from dementia and wandered away from his home in the past, but was always found nearby.

Authorities said they looked under the crawl space shortly after James Thomas’ disappeared on June 21, but found nothing.

The Anderson County coroner and sheriff’s deputies are at the home removing the body and investigating the incident. They have not identified the body.

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Information from: Anderson Independent-Mail, http://www.andersonsc.com