MARION, SC – Residents of a quiet Marion neighborhood were stunned last week when police discovered a body inside a decaying trash can, setting off a complex investigation now linking two states and more than a month of unanswered questions.
The case began in early January, when the family of David Hutchinson, a 32-year-old barber from Massachusetts, reported him missing after a trip to South Carolina. Relatives last heard from Hutchinson on December 29, after he had traveled by bus to Marion, with plans to return home in early January. When he failed to reach his family, concern quickly spread.
Nearly a month after Hutchinson was reported missing, police found his remains in a trash container left at the curb of an abandoned home on Pearl Street. The state of decomposition left authorities with more questions than answers, prompting an urgent search for anyone involved in his death.
Shortly after the body was found, Jaida Monique Braddy, 41, was arrested and charged as an accessory after the fact related to the case. Investigators allege that Braddy moved the trash can containing Hutchinson’s body to its final location outside the vacant house. As of now, she has not been charged with the killing itself, and her specific role remains under review.
Police are treating the case as a homicide, though they have not yet disclosed the exact cause of Hutchinson’s death. Chief Tony Flowers of the Marion Police Department noted that law enforcement received an initial tip about a possible homicide earlier in January. Despite not receiving any reports of gunfire or other disturbances in the area, officers began looking into the disappearance more closely as details slowly surfaced.
A secondary tip ultimately pointed investigators to the trash can, leading them to the grim discovery. Authorities say the ongoing probe will likely yield further information when the scheduled autopsy is completed this week.
Although law enforcement has kept details close to the vest, Hutchinson’s family has painted a vivid picture of his final days through an online fundraising campaign. According to relatives, Hutchinson was enticed to South Carolina by promises of quick money from a woman claiming to be an entrepreneur. Instead, the family says, he was lured into a trap, separated from his money and belongings, and ultimately left vulnerable.
A post on the GoFundMe page claims Hutchinson’s phone and barbering equipment were stolen, leading to a confrontation that escalated into violence. Following an encounter where a gun was drawn, he simply vanished, leaving his personal effects behind.
Despite the headlines that followed, Hutchinson’s family insists there was much more to his life than the way it ended. Loved ones described him as trusting and talented, someone whose friendly nature may have made him susceptible to taking risks with the wrong people.
Braddy remains held in the Marion County Detention Center on $15,000 bond as the investigation continues. Hutchinson’s death has prompted calls for answers from both sides of the state line, as his family and friends mourn far from where he was last seen alive.
With forensic analysis still pending, law enforcement is urging anyone who may know more about the events surrounding Hutchinson’s disappearance to come forward. For now, questions about what happened in Marion linger as the search for justice continues.