Cause of death determined for missing USC student found in Columbia quarry
The body found in a quarry on Sunday was missing University of South Carolina student Samuel Laundon, according to the Richland County Coroner’s Office.
Coroner Gary Watts confirmed to The State that the 19-year-old USC student’s body was found in the Vulcan Materials Company quarry around 5 p.m. Sunday.
Laundon was last seen by friends jumping a fence at the Vulcan Materials quarry at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the sheriff’s department. The quarry is in the Olympia-Granby area of Columbia, and Laundon died at the scene, Watts said.
An autopsy showed the Cary, North Carolina, native died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and body, according to Watts.
Laundon’s death remains under investigation by the coroner’s office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, but Watts said at this time there is nothing to suspect it was anything other than an accident.
“This morning we received confirmation from the Richland County Coroner’s Office of the death of one of our students over the weekend, junior Sam Laundon,” USC President Bob Caslen said in a statement. “Our deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers are with Sam’s family and friends as they grieve his loss. Counseling services are available to students, faculty and staff impacted by this tragedy.”
The USC student had been missing since Saturday morning, and authorities combed the Olympia-Granby area by air and foot for two days. The Columbia Fire Department also assisted in the search and found a body matching Laundon’s description in the Columbia quarry.
After the body was discovered in an area difficult to reach by foot, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said it suspended the search. Watts thanked the fire department for “conducting a very dangerous and difficult recovery mission.”
During the search, the sheriff’s department said it used a helicopter, drones, a K-9, in addition to deputies on foot.
“This is not the outcome we were hoping for,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Sunday in a news release. “I’m sorry it ended this way. We are praying for him and his family.”
Laundon was walking home with several friends when they got lost Saturday about 2:30 a.m., according to the sheriff’s department. Laundon jumped the fence in an effort “to reach his destination faster,” the sheriff’s department said.
When his friends called a ride-sharing service to take them home, Laundon declined to climb back over, according to the release.
That happened after law enforcement broke up a crowd of students because of a noise complaint, the Daily Gamecock reported.
The Olympia-Granby area is adjacent to the University of South Carolina campus and is home to several apartment complexes and numerous rental houses that are popular with students.
An incident report shows Laundon was reported missing to the sheriff’s department at 10:30 a.m., about eight hours after he was separated from his friends.
Laundon is listed in USC’s online student directory, and a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department confirmed he is a student.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Cause of death determined for missing USC student found in Columbia quarry."
