CALHOUN COUNTY, S.C. – A heartbreaking tragedy out of South Carolina has left a family and community searching for answers. A father and 6-year-old daughter found dead were identified as Jason Murph, 42, and Michelle Murph, 6, who were discovered roughly 100 yards from Murph’s wrecked and burned pickup truck. While autopsy results returned inconclusive, the county coroner says the evidence strongly suggests the pair died from exposure to the elements.
Calhoun County Coroner Donnie Porth said he believes hypothermia was the cause of death, citing harsh weather conditions that night, including wind, rain, and plunging temperatures.
LAST PHONE CALL BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE
According to investigators, the tragic chain of events began on December 16 around 8:30 p.m., when Jason Murph called his estranged wife to tell her he had wrecked his pickup truck and slid off the road somewhere in Calhoun County. During the call, Murph reportedly told her he did not know where he was.
Porth said Murph’s wife later told police she could hear their daughter yelling in the background before the call suddenly ended. When she attempted to call him back, there was no answer.
Investigators believe Murph’s phone battery died. His wife said she texted him urging him to call 911, but she never heard from him again.
PICKUP TRUCK STUCK IN MUD, FIRE BREAKS OUT
Authorities say Murph attempted multiple times to free his pickup truck after it became stuck in mud following the crash. Evidence at the scene indicates that friction from the tires sparked a grass fire, which eventually spread and caused the truck itself to catch fire.
“The car fire likely started around 10:30 p.m.,” Porth said. “Unfortunately, once that fire went out, that’s when I believe the situation became extremely urgent for them.”
The coroner said the combination of rain, wind, and cold temperatures created dangerous and life-threatening conditions.
“It became extremely cold,” Porth explained. “I think it became an urgency for them to try to find help and find shelter.”
FINAL ATTEMPT TO FIND HELP ENDS IN TRAGEDY
After abandoning the burned pickup truck, Jason Murph and his daughter attempted to walk toward the interstate to seek help. However, their effort was cut short near a creek where the ground became saturated and unstable.
The father and daughter were found lying next to each other in a wet, muddy area just 100 yards from where the truck had crashed.
Porth believes the two were walking together when Murph, who weighed more than his daughter, began sinking into the mud.
“The more you struggle, the deeper you go,” Porth said.
Investigators believe Jason and Michelle Murph survived the initial crash and did everything they could to escape and seek help. However, the extreme weather conditions ultimately prevented them from making it to safety.
“I would ask everyone to keep this family and their loved ones in their prayers and thoughts,” Porth said.
Authorities say all evidence so far indicates the father and daughter lost their lives to exposure after a desperate fight to survive.
