Coroner: Victims found in burning car in Sumter County were killed before fire
Investigators think the blaze was intentionally set
Updated: 10:32 AM EDT Mar 27, 2020
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HEAD INTO SUNDAY. DANA: HAPPENING TODAY, LAWMAKERS WILL BE BACK IN WASHINGTON, TO VOTE ON A MASSIVE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL. THE VOTE COULD BE DELAYED, IF ENOUGH LAWMAKERS DON’T SHOW UP BY 9:00 THIS MORNING. THE 2.2 TRILLION DOLLAR PACKAGE INCLUDES ASSISTANCE FOR HOSPITALS, SMALL BUSINESSES, MAJOR CORPORATE LOANS, AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. IT ALSO INCREASES UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AND DIRECT CHECKS MADE OUT TO AMERICANS. GEOFF: NEW NUMBERS OVERNIGHT, SHOW THERE ARE MORE THAN 533,000 COVID-19 CASES. THE UNITED STATES NOW LEADS THE WORLD, IN THE NUMBER OF CASES. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IS TRACKING THEM. THERE ARE MORE THAN 85,000 CASES IN THE U.S MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE HAVE DIED. HERE’S A MAP OF THE NATIONWIDE CASES. NEW YORK HAS, BY FAR THE MOST, WITH MORE THAN 37,000. DANA: SOUTH CAROLINA HAS 450 SIX CASES, NINE PEOPLE HAVE DIED. AND NORTH CAROLINA, 636 CASES, 2 DEATHS. AND IN GEORGIA, THERE ARE MORE THAN 1600 CASES, AND 56 DEATHS. GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP EXTENDED AN ORDER TO KEEP PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLOSED, THROUGH APRIL 24. GEOFF: THE UPSTATE IS IN FOR A WARM SPRING WEEKEND, OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGING SOCIAL DISTANCING AS MORE PEOPLE GET OUTSIDE. OUR PAIGE HOPKINS IS LIVE IN GREENVILLE WITH MORE ON THOSE EFFORTS. PAIGE: I THINK WE ARE ALL REALLY EXCITED FOR THE WARMER WEATHER AHEAD. CITY OFFICIALS ARE URGING PEOPLE TO NOT USE THE WARM WEATHER TO GATHER IN LARGE GROUPS. WE ARE ON THE SWAMP RABBIT TRAIL RIGHT NOW WHERE THERE WILL BE PEOPLE BIKING, RUNNING, AND WALKING. WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN A FEW THIS MORNING. CITY OFFICIALS ARE URGING PEOPLE NOT TO GET TOGETHER IN LARGE GROUPS. THE SWAMP RABBIT TRAIL ESTATE OPEN BECAUSE PEOPLE USE IT AS A TRANSPORTATION. POLICE SAID IF THEY SEE PEOPLE GATHERING IN LARGE GROUPS THEY WILL CLOSE IT TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. OUTDOOR ACTIVITY CENTERS HAVE STARTED MEASURES TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE AS THEY COME OUT AND GO ENJOY THE NICE WEATHER. GOLF COURSES ARE TAKING OUT FLAGS AND RAKES TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS GOLFERS HAVE TO TOUCH. THEY’RE ALSO SANITIZING GOLF CARTS OFTEN. WE ALSO GOT QUESTIONS FROM VIEWERS ABOUT SWIMMING POOLS. THEY WONDERING IF IT IS SAFE TO SWIM AMID THE PANDEMIC. THEY SAY YES, IT IS UNLIKELY YOU CATCH IT IN A SWIMMING POOL. THEY SAY MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING AND THAT 60 BETWEEN YOURSELF AND OTHERS. MAYOR KNOX WHITE WILL GIVE AN ADDRESS LATER TODAY. WE WILL BRING THAT ALL TO YOU AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAYS. GEOFF: ITALY IS ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST DEATH TOLL BY FAR. MORE THAN 8200 PEOPLE HAVE DIED. THAT HAS FORCED MANY CEMETERIES TO REJECT COFFINS. FAMILIES ARE NOT ABLE TO HOLD FUNERALS BECAUSE THE COUNTRY IS UNDER LOCKDOWN. DANA: BON SECOURS AND PRISMA HEALTH HAVE SUSPENDED ALL COVID-19 RELATED PATIENT STATEMENTS AND BILLING BOTH HEALTH SYSTEMS SAY IF A PATIENT RECEIVES TREATMENT, THERE WILL BE NO UPFRONT PAYMENTS REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF SERVICE. THEY’LL CONTINUE THIS UNTIL THEY FINALIZE DETAILS WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES, LAB PARTNERS, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. GEOFF: IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS YOU CAN ASK A PANEL OF DOCTORS DURING A SPECIAL NATIONWIDE FACEBOOK LIVE EVENT ON THE WYFF FACEBOOK PAGE. YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS NOW BY EMAILING US AT INVESTIGATE-AT-HEARST.COM OR TWEET USING THE #CORONAVIRUS FBLIVE. DANA: BREAKING NEWS OVERNIGHT. A MAN, ACCUSED OF SHOOTING A WOMAN SEVERAL TIMES. HAPPENED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ON SPARTAN DRIVE IN OCONEE COUNTY. DEVAN BENNETT CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR SHOOTING SOMEONE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ON SPARTAN DRIVE. GEOFF: IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, — DEPUTIES SAY THE THREE LIVE TOGETHER. DANA: GREENWOOD OFFICIALS ARE SEARCHING FOR A CAR THAT HIT A WOMAN. IT HAPPENED THURSDAY MORNING. THE CORONER SAYS 32-YEAR-OLD SHANTAY CRAWFORD LOST HER LIFE. SHE WAS WALKING NEAR 9TY SIX HIGHWAY, AND SHERARD ROAD. TROOPERS SAY SHE WAS HIT BY AN SUV THEN ANOTHER CAR HEADED TOWARD NINETY SIX. THEY DON’T HAVE A DESCRIPTION, BUT SAY THE CAR COULD HAVE DAMAGE. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, CALL HIGHWAY PATROL. GEOFF: GREENVILLE SCHOOLS ARE ADDING NEW WI-FI SITES. THE BUTLER COMMUNITY CENTER, WE WILL HAVE THE LOCATIONS LISTED ON WYFF.COM. DANA: SOME OF THE LARGEST GROCERY CHAINS IN THE COUNTRY ARE INSTALLING SNEEZE GUARDS. THE PLEXIGLAS SNEEZE GUARDS WILL FUNCTION AS BARRIERS BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND CASHIERS. SOME NORTH CAROLINA SENIORS ARE STILL LINE DANCING, SIX FEET APART. TAKE A LOOK. LOOK AT THEM GO. ONE WOMAN OFFERED UP HER CUL-DE-SAC TO THE GROUP. THE GROUP HOPES TO CONTINUE HAVING DANCE CLASSES OUTSIDE FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN. GEOFF: YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF HONKING AT ONE INTERSECTION IN GREENVILLE. SENIORS AT SHEPHERDS CARE ASSISTED LIVING HELD UP ENCOURAGING SIGNS FOR PEOPLE DRIVING BY. SOME OF THEM WERE SENTIMENTAL, OTHERS WERE HUMOROUS LIKE SOCIAL DISTANCING, TURN UP YOUR HEAR
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Coroner: Victims found in burning car in Sumter County were killed before fire
Investigators think the blaze was intentionally set
Updated: 10:32 AM EDT Mar 27, 2020
Above video: Your morning headlinesTwo victims discovered in a burning car in South Carolina this week were killed before the blaze engulfed the vehicle, officials announced Wednesday.The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Sumter County Coroner ruled the deaths homicides and determined a female victim suffered a gunshot wound to the head and a male victim suffered head trauma prior to the fire, Coroner Robbie Baker told news outlets.The deaths had initially been reported as “suspicious” after authorities found the vehicle containing the bodies on fire on the side of a road Monday, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators think the blaze was intentionally set, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Deputy Adrienne Sarvis told news outlets. The coroner’s office was performing DNA tests to try and determine the victims’ identities, Baker said in a statement Wednesday.The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the sheriff’s office in Richland County, where the car was determined to be registered, are assisting the coroner and sheriff in the investigation, news outlets reported.
Above video: Your morning headlines
Two victims discovered in a burning car in South Carolina this week were killed before the blaze engulfed the vehicle, officials announced Wednesday.
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The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Sumter County Coroner ruled the deaths homicides and determined a female victim suffered a gunshot wound to the head and a male victim suffered head trauma prior to the fire, Coroner Robbie Baker told news outlets.
The deaths had initially been reported as “suspicious” after authorities found the vehicle containing the bodies on fire on the side of a road Monday, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators think the blaze was intentionally set, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Deputy Adrienne Sarvis told news outlets.
The coroner’s office was performing DNA tests to try and determine the victims’ identities, Baker said in a statement Wednesday.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the sheriff’s office in Richland County, where the car was determined to be registered, are assisting the coroner and sheriff in the investigation, news outlets reported.
