Submerged vehicle led authorities to home of South Carolina man charged with desecration of human remains

FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A Florence County deputy on routine patrol Saturday noticed a vehicle submerged in water, eventually leading authorities to the Lake City home of Charles Antwine Jr., incident reports show.

Antwine, 56, is charged with desecration of human remains while his wife remains missing. As of Tuesday, authorities had not publicly identified the victim pending results of an autopsy.

According to a Florence County Sheriff’s Office report, the deputy was on patrol near the area of Riverside Cemetery Road and a boat launch on the Lynches River when he noticed “something in the river which appeared abnormal.”

After verifying it as the roof of a gold SUV, the deputy notified dispatch and Hannah-Salem-Friendfield Fire Department crews arrived with a boat to search the vehicle.

Officials determined it was empty, but obtained a license plate tracing back to Antwine and his 976 Stillwater Road property in Lake City. Authorities headed to the home on Saturday. Antwine wasn’t there, but a neighbor said he may have been at his second house located in North Carolina.

Relatives of Christy Thomas Ward and Antwine — who were married — reported them missing from their Brunswick County, North Carolina, home last week, according to the sheriff’s office.

On Sunday, deputies went back to the Florence County house looking for another vehicle registered to Antwine. While it couldn’t be found, authorities located an “unusual smell” near an air conditioning unit.

After getting a search warrant, deputies found Antwine inside sitting on a couch, surrounded by human remains in plastic containers that were taped shut.

He was brought to an area hospital for evaluation and then transported to the sheriff’s office, reports say.