In the late summer of 2016, the life of 34-year-old Walter Allen Russ came to an unexpected end in Florence, South Carolina. A man with roots in Geneva, New York, he had relocated, leaving behind a community where he was born and had lived for many years. He was a father to his daughter, Kenzie Russ, and his sons, Malihcai Russ and Walter Russ Jr.
On Monday, August 22, 2016, authorities were faced with the circumstances surrounding his death.
Following an investigation by the Florence County investigators and the coroner, his death was officially ruled a suicide. There is no information available from online sources regarding any arrests or suspects in relation to this event.
News of his passing rippled through his communities, both in South Carolina and back in New York. His family, including his mother, Lizzie Smallwood, and his wife, Jennifer, were left to mourn the sudden loss. An obituary remembered him as a man who loved working with cars, music, and above all, spending time with his children and family. Funeral services were held in Geneva, where friends and family gathered to pay their respects before he was laid to rest in Glenwood Cemetery.
