Missing father, 6-year-old daughter found dead leaves family questioning what happened

CALHOUN COUNTY, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) – A father and his 6-year-old daughter were found dead in South Carolina in a situation that is leaving their family with more questions than answers.

According to Calhoun County Coroner Donnie Porth, autopsies have been scheduled for Friday for 42-year-old Jason Murph and 6-year-old Michelle Murph.

Multiple law enforcement agencies searched for the pair, who went missing on Saturday and were believed to be involved in a car accident.

According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, their bodies were found two days later on Monday afternoon about 100 yards away from their truck – the length of a football field.

Deputies had found Murph’s truck on Lavender Lane near exit 136 off Interstate 26 about an hour before locating the bodies.

Quentin Murph, Jason Murph’s cousin, expressed confusion and sorrow on Tuesday when speaking to WIS.

Quentin Murph said the two were heading from Blythewood to Orangeburg to visit Jason Murph’s mom, but they never made it.

He said he is confused about how the two ended up in the location they were found in because the area would not have been on the route to their destination.

Deputies said Jason Murph and his daughter were last heard from around 8 p.m. Saturday while en route to his mother’s house.

Jason Murph’s estranged wife told police she thought her husband and daughter might have been involved in a crash and needed help.

According to a police report, Jason Murph’s wife received a call from someone whose name was redacted in the incident report. That person told her Jason Murph had “slid off the road” and wrecked his vehicle.

Jason Murph’s wife said she did not know where he was and that he hung up the phone when she called him and refused to pick up again. She could hear Michelle yelling in the background, the report said.

The wife sent text messages to Jason Murph where she begged him to call 911. He did not respond, according to the report.

The report also said that Jason Murph and his wife are estranged and living apart. He had been taking care of their daughter for the past two weeks.

The coroner said there is no suspected foul play at this time.

Richland County School District Two confirmed Michelle was a first grader at Sandlapper Elementary School.

Quentin Murph said the first thing he remembers about his cousin is his smile.

“He has the biggest smile, the softest heart, he’s the warmest person. He’d do anything for you that he could. Loved his mother,” Quentin Murph said.

Quentin Murph continued to express his love for his cousin and for Michelle.

“We love you very much, so very much. We’re sorry we weren’t there to maybe help you during the time you needed us the most,” he said. “I just want to say we love you and we’ll always keep you in our fondest memories.”

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