Body of Missing Woman Found Under Boyfriend's Firepit in South Carolina
September 4, 2024
SOUTH CAROLINA: A man accused of murdering his girlfriend and burying her body under his backyard firepit. Sheridan Dirk Fogle, 54, is charged with murder in the death of Penni Whiteside, 51, who had been missing since early 2022.
According to the Myrtle Beach Police Department, Whiteside had been living with Fogle in their apartment, and her brother reported her missing on May 11, 2022, after not seeing her since around the start of that year. An arrest warrant revealed that Fogle told neighbors he had buried "something" in his backyard and became aggressive and "territorial of the area" when people approached the firepit.
Investigators obtained a search warrant and excavated the firepit area, uncovering a wooden box containing Whiteside's remains. The cause of death has not been released, but authorities have confirmed that the remains were identified as Whiteside through forensic analysis.
Fogle was arrested on Thursday and taken to the Horry County Jail, where he remains without bond. His arrest comes after a lengthy investigation into Whiteside's disappearance, which included searching the couple's apartment and interviewing neighbors.
This case is particularly disturbing due to Fogle's history of domestic violence against Whiteside. In November 2021, police responded to their apartment after Fogle allegedly punched Whiteside in the chest, causing her to fall down. He was arrested and charged with domestic violence, but the charges were later dropped.
About a month later, Fogle reportedly stole Whiteside's credit and debit cards, further indicating a pattern of abuse and control. Neighbors expressed shock and disbelief, saying they had no idea what was happening in their community.
"I think it's absolutely bizarre," said Nikolai Zaitsev, a neighbor. "I mean, you have kids playing at the park here every day, and birthday parties, weddings, etc. that happen here. And I'm sure nobody around here had a clue about what was actually going on."
Fogle has a court date scheduled for December 13, where he will face charges for Whiteside's murder.
