Former Journalist Helps Solve Cold Case

The Greenville, South Carolina, Sheriff's Office announced Monday a breakthrough in a nearly 50-year-old case that it said was solved with the help of a former WYFF News 4 reporter. case, formerly known as “Mr. The body was found wrapped in a sheet and smoking, indicating it had been set on fire. The coroner's office at the time ruled it a homicide by blunt force trauma and strangulation. Despite numerous outreach efforts over the years, the victim's identity remained unknown, officials said. More information: Deputies are searching for a wanted person who jumped into the Upstate River, authorities say. They said when Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis took office in 2020, he reorganized the cold case unit. , aimed at re-examining active cases and taking advantage of technological advances. Since then, officials said the unit has solved 11 cases. On Monday, Lewis confirmed the identification of “Mr. X” as Oscar James Nedd, of White Plains, New York. He said Oscar was born April 19, 1951, in Georgia and later moved to New York to pursue college. Lewis credits former WYFF News 4 reporter Brad Willis for bringing attention to the case with his popular Greenville podcast “Murder, Etc.” Willis spoke about the case and his podcast in a story from 2019. Click here to read more about this story or watch the video below. On July 17, 2020, GCSO investigators partnered with the Greenville County Coroner's Office to exhume the body from Potters Field. in northern Greenville County, Lewis said. Some skeletal remains were sent to the National Unidentified and Missing Persons System for DNA testing. A profile was also created for the victim in the NAMUS database, Lewis said. He said that in February 2024, Greenville County investigators were contacted by the White Plains Police Department regarding a match to a missing persons case they had been working on since 1975. The individual in question was Oscar James Nedd.More news: South Carolina 2024 voter guide details voting dates, locations, and more. After contacting family members, investigators were able to confirm Nedd's identity and the information was forwarded to authorities in White Plains regarding the homicide, according to Lewis. Lewis said it is believed Nedd was killed in New York and the investigation into the death has now been transferred to that jurisdiction, Lewis said. Lewis commended his team for their dedication and perseverance in solving this cold case. “The tireless work and innovative approaches employed by our investigators brought closure to a case that remained a mystery for nearly five decades,” Lewis said. “Their determination to seek justice for the victims and their families is truly commendable. I would like to thank each member of our cold case unit for their hard work and commitment.