In a recent development, the Laurens County Deputy Coroner Patti Canupp has identified human remains found in Joanna. The remains belong to Gregory McSwain Morgan, who had been missing since 2017.
The remains were discovered by a landowner in Joanna on October 1, 2023. This find has brought significant progress to a case that had remained unresolved for six years. Morgan, a resident of Joanna, was last seen on July 26, 2017. At the time of his disappearance, he was 39 years old. He would have been 45 years old at present.
According to Canupp, the recovered remains showed no signs of physical trauma. Remarkably, 95 percent of the remains were collected. A comprehensive final report is still forthcoming.
Coroner Vickie Cheek commended the efforts of her team at the Laurens County Coroner’s Office and acknowledged the collaboration with various departments and experts, including Dr. Grace Dukes, Dr. Shanna Williams, SLED, Greenville County Coroner’s Office, Foothills Search and Rescue, and the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.
Cheek expressed deep condolences to the family of Gregory McSwain Morgan, underscoring the emotional closure that this identification may bring to them.