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Her car was found Wednesday in Bluffton, those officials said.
The body of Alexis Lukaitis was discovered Monday morning on the side of Old Jacksonboro Road near Adams Run, according to Charleston County Deputy Coroner Dottie Lindsay. The mother of twin, 1-year-old boys died as a result of the knife wounds, Lindsay said.
According to a Charleston County Sheriff's Office release, Lukaitis' death is being investigated as a homicide. At a press conference Wednesday evening, Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon said the department was still looking for suspects.
Lukaitis was reported missing at about 9 a.m. Monday by her fiancé, 32-year-old Mike Bartley of Bluffton, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office release said.
At 7:30 a.m. that same day, loggers found Lukaitis' body on Old Jacksonboro Road.
Bartley told Beaufort County deputies that Lukaitis left Sunday afternoon to take a friend to Charleston. Bartley last spoke to his fiancée at about 7:45 p.m. Sunday. Lukaitis said then she would see him in about an hour, but never returned, according to Beaufort County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Sgt. Robin McIntosh.
"She made it to Charleston," said Charleston Sheriff's Office spokesman Major John Clark. "Where she went and who she saw is what we're trying to find out. We have some people, including her fiancé and her friend, that we want to talk to."
Neither Beaufort nor Charleston County investigators have released any information about Lukaitis' friend.
Lukaitis' body was found partially dressed with no identification, Clark said.
At about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, a Bluffton police officer on patrol noticed Lukaitis' 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix in the Oyster Factory Park parking lot, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. The State Law Enforcement Division is processing the vehicle, according to McIntosh.Bartley did not return phone calls for comment Wednesday.
In a text message, he said Lukaitis liked helping people but had never gone this far out of her way to do so.
"I told her being nice can hurt, and it did," he said. "I can't forgive myself for letting her go."
At 9 a.m. Tuesday, Bartley posted a note on his Facebook page saying he learned Lukaitis' body may have been found.
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office listed Bartley's address as an apartment at the Lakes at Myrtle Park. A property manager at the community would not confirm that he lived there.
Bartley said in his text message that Lukaitis worked at Tanger Outlet Center 1 and 2 on U.S. 278. The two moved to Bluffton from New Jersey about five years ago to start a new life, he wrote.
According to Brian McKinney, a former neighbor in The Townes community on Bluffton Parkway where the Bartley and Lukaitis once lived, they seemed happy together and enjoyed spending time with their young sons.
Bartley's text messages stated that he and Lukaitis have been together for 10 years.
"She is a great mom and she was my best friend," he said.
The Charleston County Sheriff's Office is investigating Lukaitis' death with the help of the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and SLED.
Island Packet reporter Cassie Foss and Charleston Post and Courier reporters Andy Paras and Brian Hicks contributed to this report.
