Found Deceased SC - Michelle Murph 6 & dad Jason Murph 42, may have been in car accident, phoned wife 8pm near Hwy 301 near Calhoun County, 16 Dec 2023

[SMK777]

If the car veered off the road and went down the embankment and got stuck in the mud surely after so long of trying to get it out you’d realise that there was no chance of dislodging it (the more times you tried the more the car would get stuck imo) - why not call for help at this stage? And just stay in the car and wait for help to arrive.

Is it possible that because they went off the road they were not getting reception on the cell phone? Of course, he’d called his wife earlier, but could reception have been spotty? Or did he lose the phone?

 

[RANCH]

Is it possible that because they went off the road they were not getting reception on the cell phone? Of course, he’d called his wife earlier, but could reception have been spotty? Or did he lose the phone?

Doesn't seem that where the truck was found was very remote. Just off an Interstate.

Missing father and daughter found dead in Calhoun County

The bodies of a missing father and his daughter were found Monday afternoon in Calhoun County, according to the Richland County Sheriff's Department.

abcnews4.com

Officials with RCSD say Murph's Toyota Tundra was located by deputies just before noon on Lavender Lane which is near exit 136 off I-26

There's an Exxon gas station nearby that's probably within walking distance of where the truck was found.

Exxon · 388 Caw Caw Hwy, St Matthews, SC 29135

★★★★☆ · Gas station

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Report gives new details into events leading to death of Richland County father, daughter

The mother said she and the father were estranged.

www.wltx.com

The [incident] report also says that during this phone call, she could hear their daughter yelling in the background, and Jason hung up and refused to answer. It also says that the phone died, and Murph's wife texted him to contact 911, but she never heard from him again.

BBM. His phone died.

 

[RANCH]

Report gives new details into events leading to death of Richland County father, daughter

The mother said she and the father were estranged.

www.wltx.com

BBM. His phone died.

How did it die? Battery low? Turned off? Damaged in wreck? Burned in fire? JMO.

 

[starlightstarbright]

JMO but as a parent, my instinct would be to get my child to safety. That’s the only thing that would matter. Parents perform incredible feats when they need to save their children, lifting cars off them, etc. I just cannot imagine a situation when I would be in a wreck and I’d spend 4+ hours (is that right with the timeline, that the accident occurred around 6:30pm?) messing about with my car. I’d get my child out of their seat and go somewhere safe, to call for help, or walk to a lit up, warm place. Nothing else would matter. MOO

You’re right that there is something missing here. Also what did he do pulled in to pumps at the gas station for 2-3 minutes? That seems very fast for getting gas, even for paying at the pump. Did he actually buy anything?

 

[Fika]

I agree with many there is something missing here. Why was he driving there if it wasn’t on a way to his mother it’s perplexing. If the crash happened after 6:30 why not calling wife directly but at 8 way over hour.
I find it disturbing that his daughter was heard screaming on the phone she was obviously very scared yet his decision was to sit in a dark muddy area in crushed car with small child without calling for help.
Even phone call to wife wasn’t call for help he didn’t provide any information where are they if he was confused where they are why not mention gas station that he tanked / filled gas can this information could be helpful to police to find them quickly. He had to have some idea where he was driving. I do wonder about phone call his wife said that he hang up on her and refused to answer calls( paraphrasing)
why was she so sure? Did he say something to make her think he hang up? I feel like she said that for a reason and there might have been something said on the call that make her think that he hang up and didn’t want to answer. If she was calling was phone off or just ringing without answer.

 

[Fika]

Another two thoughts could Jason deliberately set fire to car/ grass as a way to call for help? Someone would notice a fire and get there fast. Maybe they tried and couldn’t get it out it was getting late and cold and for some reason he couldn’t use phone to call for help maybe causing a fire would call for attention. Just a thought.

 

[SMK777]

why was she so sure? Did he say something to make her think he hang up? I feel like she said that for a reason and there might have been something said on the call that make her think that he hang up and didn’t want to answer. If she was calling was phone off or just ringing without answer.

This mirrors my own thoughts. Why was she so sure that she was able to make that statement to the Sheriff’s Office? Why did she say she had “begged him” to call 911? You beg when someone is resisting.

 

[nao]

Moo...also the possibility they left before the fire. Exhaust systems get hot, that would dry grass close by and if gas tank ruptured the fire would spread....moo

 

[MollyHarps]

Another two thoughts could Jason deliberately set fire to car/ grass as a way to call for help? Someone would notice a fire and get there fast. Maybe they tried and couldn’t get it out it was getting late and cold and for some reason he couldn’t use phone to call for help maybe causing a fire would call for attention. Just a thought.

I can’t see him setting a fire as a ‘call for help’

If they had no phone signal and didnt really know where they were imo the logical thing to do would be sleep in the car overnight - the car would’ve protected them from the weather elements to an extent.

 

[SMK777]

I get the feeling with this disturbing and puzzling case, that the fact that both father and daughter are tragically deceased has left these questions unanswered by authorities.

Had the child died but the adult been found alive, I’m certain there would be at least a formal inquest with all kinds of legal questions being posed by law enforcement and the district attorney.

Just imagine if law enforcement had happened upon the scene with the little girl dead from hypothermia, but her father able to be saved by spending time in the ICU. Charges and accusations would have been par for the course.

 

[Fika]

I get the feeling with this disturbing and puzzling case, that the fact that both father and daughter are tragically deceased has left these questions unanswered by authorities.

Had the child died but the adult been found alive, I’m certain there would be at least a formal inquest with all kinds of legal questions being posed by law enforcement and the district attorney.

Just imagine if law enforcement had happened upon the scene with the little girl dead from hypothermia, but her father able to be saved by spending time in the ICU. Charges and accusations would have been par for the course.

Sadly yes, we will never really know what happened and why .The only thing that Im curious about is if Jason had alcohol in his blood.

 

[SMK777]

Sadly yes, we will never really know what happened and why .The only thing that Im curious about is if Jason had alcohol in his blood.

I guess that will come out in the toxicology report.
If he dd, in light of his prior DUI arrest, it would explain a lot of his behavior.

 

[SMK777]

Another thing that haunts me is the speed at which they both died of hypothermia, considering the fact that temperatures were definitely not below freezing, and there was rain, not snow and ice.

Both were strong and healthy and young. I don’t understand how death could come to them both so quickly in those conditions. There are people who get lost and survive days and days in worse.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Another thing that haunts me is the speed at which they both died of hypothermia, considering the fact that temperatures were definitely not below freezing, and there was rain, not snow and ice.

Both were strong and healthy and young. I don’t understand how death could come to them both so quickly in those conditions. There are people who get lost and survive days and days in worse.

They were stuck in wet mud. With regard to hypothermia, I don't think it would be much different to being in cold water. Water (and wet mud) sucks body heat away much more quickly than air does.

 

[SMK777]

They were stuck in wet mud. With regard to hypothermia, I don't think it would be much different to being in cold water. Water (and wet mud) sucks body heat away much more quickly than air does.

Oh, I see.

 

[Fika]

It would be so useful to see a picture of exact location the car and they were found. Because what I am imagining is deep wet mud surrounding the car impossible to walk that’s why they got stuck. So how the fire started on wet mud in rain? And where was the grass that apparently got on fire too and if it was close why couldn’t they get to it?

I tried looking around in google to find some pictures that could help me visualise the area but without luck.

 

[SMK777]

It would be so useful to see a picture of exact location the car and they were found. Because what I am imagining is deep wet mud surrounding the car impossible to walk that’s why they got stuck. So how the fire started on wet mud in rain? And where was the grass that apparently got on fire too and if it was close why couldn’t they get to it?

I tried looking around in google to find some pictures that could help me visualise the area but without luck.

Yes, those are all important questions. I too would like to be able to visualize the situation they were in. Was there ever an address given in the media as to where exactly they were found? Or are you saying that you know it but there are no google maps images to help?
Was this image of the truck taken at the scene?

Dad and 6-year-old daughter found frozen to death after crash — just 50 yards from truck

Jason Murph, 42, and his 6-year-old daughter, Michelle, died in a muddy field trying to get help.

nypost.com

 

[SMK777]

Funeral arrangements announced for father, daughter found dead in Calhoun County​

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WIS) - The funeral arrangements for a father and daughter found dead in Calhoun County have been announced.

Michelle Murph, 6, and Jason Murph, 42, were reported missing on Sunday, Dec. 17 and found deadnear their crashed truck in Calhoun County on Monday, Dec. 18.

According to their obituaries, services for the pair will be held on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. at Simmons Funeral Home and Crematory Chapel, 2868 Columbia Road, Orangeburg.

An interment will follow in Crestlawn Memorial Garden.

A public viewing will be held on Friday, Dec. 29 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Funeral arrangements announced for father, daughter found dead in Calhoun County

The funeral arrangements for a father and daughter found dead in Calhoun County have been announced.

www.wmbfnews.com

 

[Fika]

Yes, those are all important questions. I too would like to be able to visualize the situation they were in. Was there ever an address given in the media as to where exactly they were found? Or are you saying that you know it but there are no google maps images to help?
Was this image of the truck taken at the scene?

Dad and 6-year-old daughter found frozen to death after crash — just 50 yards from truck

Jason Murph, 42, and his 6-year-old daughter, Michelle, died in a muddy field trying to get help.

nypost.com

“According to the Richland County Sheriff's Department (RCSD), the lead investigative agency, they were found 100 yards from Murph's burnt Toyota Tundra around noon on Lavender Lane, near exit 136.”

I was looking around for gas station he tanked and around highway to look up thr area not exact spot.

Funeral for father, daughter found dead near I-26 set for Saturday

A father and his 6-year-old daughter will be laid to rest on Saturday nearly two weeks after they were found dead in a wooded area off Interstate 26 in Calhoun

wach.com