Man dies of heart attack while burying his murder victim

quote:

---

The Edgefield County Sheriff says evidence shows Joseph McKinnon strangled Patricia Dent inside the home and was burying her in the backyard when he died of a heart attack.

---

quote:

---

On Saturday morning Deputies along with the Edgefield County Coroner’s Office, and Edgefield County EMS responded to 102 Tanglewood Drive in Trenton, South Carolina to a call of an unresponsive man lying in his yard. Joseph Anthony McKinnon, 60, of the same address was found to be deceased in his yard. Mr. McKinnon had no signs of trauma and natural causes were suspected.

While investigating the death and making notifications to the next of kin, a second body, was located in a freshly dug pit. Patricia Ruth Dent, 65, of the same address appeared to have died by foul play.

---

quote:

---

Evidence gathered at the scene, along with statements from witnesses, aided investigators to build a timeline, leading us to believe that Mr. McKinnon attacked Ms. Dent while inside their home.

Mr. McKinnon then bound her and wrapped her in trash bags before putting her in the previously dug pit. The pit was then partially filled in by Mr. McKinnon. While covering the pit, Mr. McKinnon had the cardiac event, causing his death.”

---