December 26, 2023
The untimely death of 42-year-old Jason Murph and his 6-year-old daughter, Michelle, has many questions unanswered.
Despite a coroner attributing their deaths to hypothermia, the final moments of a father and daughter in South Carolina last week remain unclear, MEAWW reports.
Jason Murph, 42, and his 6-year-old daughter Michelle were en route from Blythewood to Orangeburg, South Carolina, a 65-mile drive to visit Murph’s mother. The estranged wife of Murph said her last conversation with them was Dec. 16, around 8:00 pm. She said that Murph lost control of his vehicle, skidding off the road. He was left disoriented, and she heard Michelle sobbing in the background.
Two days later, their vehicle, a silver Toyota Tundra, was discovered damaged and burned in a field near Interstate 301 in Calhoun County, South Carolina. Authorities found the bodies of the father and daughter approximately 100 yards away.
Calhoun County Coroner Donnie Porth attributed their cause of death to hypothermia, although autopsy results were inconclusive. Despite a lack of evidence pointing to foul play, the circumstances surrounding their deaths remain a mystery.
“It wasn’t below freezing by no means, but because of the wind and the rain, they become extremely cold, and I think it became an urgency for them to try to find help and try to find shelter,” Porth said.
Surveillance footage captured Murph’s truck at an Exxon station an hour before the last conversation with his estranged wife, placing it near Lavender Lane, close to Interstate 26, where the vehicle was discovered. The coroner believes the vehicle became stuck in the mud, leading to the unsuccessful attempts to free it, sparking a grass fire.
“I feel like they were walking together, and unfortunately, he is being heavier than she is, he sank into the mud, and the more you struggle, the deeper you go,” Porth, told News19.
Despite their estrangement, Murph’s wife and he were jointly caring for Michelle, who had been under her father’s care for at least two weeks before the incident. Concerns arose when the mother heard Michelle crying in the background and was unable to reach Murph. Texts to call 911 went unanswered.
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