DNA evidence leads to murder charge after man died at Columbia motel, police say

DNA evidence has led to a murder charge after a body was found at an area motel, the Columbia Police Department said Monday.

Bobby Sabb, 52, was arrested days after a man died at the Super 8 motel in 5700 block of Fairfield Road/U.S. 321, police said in a news release. That’s near Exit 70 on Interstate 20.

DNA evidence collected at the motel helped identify Sabb as a suspect, according to the release. Further information about the evidence and how it led investigators to Sabb was not made available.

Police continue to search for a woman they have identified as a person of interest in the death. Neither the woman’s name nor her connection to the death has been made public.

After the woman was pictured in surveillance video, police said they wanted to interview her to determine what she knows about the crime.

The incident happened at about noon on May 30, according to the release.

A motel employee called 911 after discovering an unresponsive man inside one of the rooms. The man died at the scene, police said.

The Richland County Coroner’s Office is expected to publicly identify the man and determine his cause of death, police said.

In addition to murder, Sabb was also charged with failure to stop for blue lights, failure to stop on police command, and driving with a suspended license, jail records show.

Although a combined bond of $7,362.50 was set on the lesser charges, Sabb was denied bond on the murder charge and remains behind bars at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, according to jail records.

Anyone with information on the death is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.