Body of missing Spartanburg man found in shallow grave near Roebuck; declared a homicide

The body of a missing Spartanburg man was recovered from a shallow grave in a wooded area near Roebuck, and investigators are calling it a homicide.

The body of Devanta Alzondrae Griffin, 28, formerly of Skylyn Drive Spartanburg, was positively identified after a search and rescue dig was conducted Tuesday, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said Friday.

He said a forensic exam was completed on Wednesday, and the cause of death is being withheld because it is an active homicide investigation.

Spartanburg County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Kevin Bobo said Griffin was reported missing by family members on March 30, last seen with Jessica Marie Strachan.

Investigators said Strachan was interfering with the investigation and an arrest warrant for obstruction of justice was issued for her, Bobo said.

Strachan was located and arrested in Miami, Florida on April 1, and bonded out of jail on April 15. But she violated her home detention and was arrested again on April 25, and remains incarcerated, Bobo said.

During the investigation, a Spartanburg man was identified as a person of interest, Bobo said.

Clevenger said the Sheriff's Office asked Foothills Search and Rescue to use cadaver K-9s to search a large area. After narrowing the search, a clandestine dig was conducted. Bobo said Griffin's body was recovered from a shallow grave behind the Evans Acres neighborhood Tuesday.

Bobo said investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Investigator Megan Bennett at 864-503-4608, or mbennett@spartanburgcounty.org.

Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. Please support our coverage of Spartanburg County with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Body of missing Spartanburg man found in shallow grave near Roebuck