Investigators combing a South Carolina farm over the weekend found what the owner allegedly told them was hidden there: a body.
The discovery is the latest twist in the dizzying case against Todd Kohlhepp. The 45-year-old real estate agent was arrested last week after authorities found a woman chained inside a metal shipping container on his property, screaming for help.
Now Kohlhepp, a registered sex offender, faces murder and kidnapping charges. Authorities say he could be connected to at least seven homicides. They’ve found at least two bodies on his 100-acre farm — and they’re also checking other properties he’s owned inside and outside the state, CNN affiliate WSPA reported.
“We’re not going to close the door on anything,” Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright told reporters.
As authorities continue digging for evidence, here’s a look at the latest developments:
Human remains unearthed
After his arrest, authorities say Kohlhepp pointed them to areas on his property where he said two bodies were buried.
Investigators found one body there on Sunday, but they haven’t yet identified the victim, Wright said.
“We’re not even close,” Wright said. “We can’t tell anything about the cause of death, the gender, how long, any of that stuff.”
It’s the second body investigators have unearthed on the property. Last week, they found the remains of 32-year-old Charles Carver, whose girlfriend, Kara Brown, had been rescued alive from the shipping container.
The couple had been missing since August. Brown told investigators that she watched Kohlhepp shoot her boyfriend, a solicitor said in court on Friday.
Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger has said he found multiple gunshot wounds to the upper part of Carver’s body.
Kidnapping cracks open cold cases
The search of the property took an unexpected turn when Kohlhepp allegedly confessed to killings that took place 13 years ago at a motorcycle shop in Chesnee, South Carolina.
Kohlhepp told detectives details only the killer would have known about the homicides at Superbike Motorsports, according to authorities.
The victims — business owner Scott Ponder, his mother Beverly Guy, service manager Brian Lucas and employee Chris Sherbert — were found fatally shot inside the shop on November 6, 2003, CNN affiliate WYFF News 4 reported.
Ponder’s widow, Melissa Ponder, told WYFF: “I’m sad, relieved, in shock.”
More bodies, more charges?
Kohlhepp, who previously spent 15 years behind bars for kidnapping, did not enter a plea at his kidnapping hearing on Friday after appearing without an attorney. The judge sent the bail matter to a circuit court.
Over the weekend, prosecutors charged Kohlhepp with four counts of murder in connection with the 2003 killings.
It remains unclear whether Kohlhepp will be indicted on additional charges.
CNN’s Jackie Castillo, Shawn Nottingham, Joe Sutton, Keith Allen and Devon Sayers contributed to this report.
