Beaufort County Sheriff's Office still investigating 46 year old case of missing 14-year-old boy

46 years ago Michael Steven Akey, 14, set out with friends to visit a watermelon patch at Trammell's Market in Burton.

The kids decided to hitch a ride to the patch from a white male driving a 1962-63 four-door Chevrolet.

Akey's two friends were in the patch stealing watermelons when the vehicle drove off. Akey, still in the vehicle, was never seen alive again.

Six years later, in 1978, workers found what appeared to be the skeletal remains of Akey while clearing land near Whitehall Plantation on Lady's Island, a release from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office states.

Using existing technology, it was determined the remains were likely Akey and the body was moved to Beaufort National Cemetery.

The remains were exhumed in 2005 for mitochondrial DNA analysis. The FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia was able to "firmly establish" that the remains were of Michael Akey.

The Unknown subject has yet to be identified.

A reward of up to $2,500 is offered for information leading to an arrest of any Beaufort County Cold Case.

If you have any information regarding this case, you may contact Captain Bob Bromage at (843) 255-3402, (843) 816-8013 or robertb@bcgov.net. You can also contact Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

This story was originally published June 24, 2018 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Beaufort County Sheriff's Office still investigating 46 year old case of missing 14-year-old boy."