Penni Whiteside, a 51-year-old mother originally from Lexington, Virginia, was reported missing on May 11, 2022, from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Her brother grew concerned and filed the report after he and other family members had not heard from her since January of that year. At the time of her disappearance, Whiteside was living with her boyfriend, Sheridan Dirk Fogle, at a residence on 1st Avenue South.
The couple had been together since 2016 and were previously engaged, but had broken up in the fall of 2021. There was a reported history of domestic violence, including an alleged incident in November 2021 where Fogle was accused of punching her.
For two years, Penni's whereabouts remained a painful mystery for her loved ones. The investigation into her disappearance eventually led authorities back to the home she had shared with Fogle. After speaking with neighbors, police gathered information that suggested she might be buried in the backyard of the residence. Neighbors reported that Fogle had mentioned burying 'something' in the yard and had become protective and 'territorial' of the area around a fire pit. Based on these witness statements, investigators obtained a search warrant for the property.
In a tragic conclusion to the search, authorities made a grim discovery on June 12, 2024. During a thorough excavation of the backyard, investigators unearthed a wooden box containing human remains buried under the fire pit. The remains were positively identified as belonging to Penni Whiteside. An autopsy later determined that her death was a homicide by unspecified means. On August 29, 2024, Sheridan Dirk Fogle was arrested in Orangeburg and charged with her murder. This case is a heartbreaking story of a woman who vanished from her home, leading to a lengthy period of uncertainty for her family. The persistence of the investigation, aided by crucial information from the community, ultimately uncovered the tragic truth of her fate and led to an arrest in her death.Last Seen: Jan 3, 2022
