‘He was my baby,’ mother says of Beaufort teen found dead in marsh

An investigation into the suspicious death of 16-year-old Marcus Graves continues more than a month after his body was found in the marsh near the Gray’s Hill boat landing in Beaufort County.

The Beaufort teen’s cause of death has not been released by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office nor the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office.

Investigators typically release a cause of death after an autopsy, which was completed Nov. 3 by the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Graves, a junior at Battery Creek High School, was reported as a runaway on Halloween and found dead Nov. 1.

“There are details that are pertinent to the investigation that have not been determined yet,” Sheriff’s Office Maj. Bob Bromage said.

Every suspicious death is investigated as if it is a homicide until proven otherwise, Bromage said.

Meanwhile, Graves’ family and friends continue to mourn the teen’s death. A prayer vigil is scheduled Friday at 5 p.m. at Gray’s Hill Landing.

Even without an official cause of death, Shantay Odom, Graves’ mother, said she believes someone killed her son. She said she wants the public to call police with information.

“They undid his life, and they took a piece of my life,” Odom said. “He will never walk through that door again.”

Odom described Graves as a practical joker who loved kids and his bearded dragon, Sapphire.

“He did everything for” Sapphire, Odom said. “He would have her on his chest while he watched TV.”

Graves saved money to donate to organizations for children at the holidays, Odom said. The community is asked to bring toys and Christmas gifts for children to Friday’s prayer vigil. The donations will be given to Hopeful Horizons.

Odom asks that the public continues to pray for her son.

“He was my baby,” Odom said. “I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. I have to go to a cemetery and talk to a stone. It is just not fair.”

Sheriff’s deputies are asking anyone with information about Graves’ death to call 843-524-2777.

In another recent case being investigated by City of Beaufort Police Department, 17-year-old Dimitri Weaver, of Port Royal was fatally shot in Beaufort last week. He was found in the area of Battery Creek Road and Mossy Oaks Road. He is the 13th homicide victim in Beaufort County this year.

This story was originally published December 18, 2019 at 8:56 PM.