Human remains found near Interstate 85, identified as missing Anderson man from 2017
Workers with the Department of Transportation were clearing brush and trees Tuesday morning around marker 29 on Interstate 85 when they discovered skeletal remains.
The remains were identified as David Wayne Oakley, 37, from Anderson, coroner Don McCown reported.
Oakley was reported missing in June 2017, when his vehicle was found on Interstate 85 near mile marker 30, the coroner's office said in a statement.
The remains didn't indicate foul play, the statement said.
A dozen Anderson County Sheriff’s Office cars and trucks parked on the shoulder near mile marker 29 in the northbound lanes as they processed the scene for several hours.
The original report from 2017
Oakley was last seen at his girlfriend's home on Cherokee Circle in Anderson at 8:30 p.m. on May 31, according to a report released by the Anderson Police Department.
Oakley's BMW was found abandoned early the next morning near mile marker 30 on the northbound side of Interstate 85, according to the police report.
The case was originally handled by the Anderson County Sheriff's Office. It was transferred to the Anderson Police Department after investigators learned that Oakley's girlfriend lives within the city.
Oakley left his girlfriend's house to return to his home on Hattons Ford Road in Townville because he had left his cellphone there, according to information that Oakley's brother provided to a deputy.
According to a sheriff's report, Oakley's girlfriend tried to reach him on his cellphone several times. She also said that the phone's voicemail greeting has been changed to Spanish.
This is an ongoing investigation by the coroner's office and sheriff's office. Check back for updates.
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Mike Ellis lives in Powdersville and tells South Carolina stories with a focus on Anderson County and Pickens County along with faith and investigations. He's always looking for the next story that people need to read, please send any tips or feedback to mellis@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Human remains, identified as missing Anderson man from 2017
