A South Carolina man accused of strangling his girlfriend died of a heart attack while burying her in his backyard in response to what some might call poetic justice, according to reports.
Joseph McKinnon, 60, killed Patricia Dent, 65, at a Trenton home on Saturday, Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies responded to the residence because of reports of “an irresponsible man lying in his yard,” Sheriff Jody Rowland said in a press release.
When they arrived, they found McKinnon’s body. Medical teams have been called to the scene to try to revive him, Fox Carolina reported.
During their investigation, lawmakers found a second body in a freshly dug pit, Rowland said. The body has been identified as Dent, who lived with McKinnon, authorities said.
He had a “heart attack” while covering the pit, authorities said. Investigators believe McKinnon attacked Dent at home. An autopsy revealed she died of suffocation.
“Mr. McKinnon then tied her up and wrapped her in garbage bags before putting her in the pre-dug pit,” according to the sheriff.
Dent was supposed to be at work the day he died on the Mount Vintage golf course, but did not show up, the newspaper said. She also did not answer calls or text messages.
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