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Searchers looking for missing Pageland woman find a body in shallow grave

By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com and Ken Lemon, wsoctv.com
By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com and Ken Lemon, wsoctv.com

PAGELAND, S.C. — Searchers looking for a missing Pageland woman found a body Friday in a shallow grave not far from her boyfriend's home.

Police announced Friday morning that the boyfriend of Ann Bennett, 51, is now a suspect in her disappearance.

The body found was that of a black woman, and the clothing seemed to matched Bennett's attire.

Officers are looking for William Grant, who they said is wanted for questioning for his alleged involvement in Bennett's disappearance.

If you know where he is you're asked to call Pageland police at 843-672-6437.

Pageland police and Chesterfield County Sheriff's deputies have been looking for Bennett since Tuesday.

Family members last saw her late Monday after she argued with her boyfriend outside their Pageland home on McGregor Street.

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Dozens of friends and family members watched police and sled agents on Wednesday comb the house and search Bennett’s car, as well as her boyfriend's car.

"We don't know yet if anything they found has any value as evidence," said Pageland police Chief Craig Greenlee.

In near-100 degree heat on Thursday, the search effort took deputies into the woods in isolated parts of the county off Gum Springs Church Road, a mile from where they searched on Wednesday.

Acting on tips, deputies rode four-wheelers down dirt roads, through fields of tall grass and trees.

A drone also took to the air, and its operators took pictures from hundreds of feet up, hoping to spot something.

Police met with Union County deputies Friday morning and said they would expand their search into North Carolina.

They will search along Highway 601, as well as a car wash in Pageland, looking for possible evidence.

Police have interviewed roughly 25 people about Bennett. That includes family, friends and her co-workers at Bojangles.

Greenlee said that at this point, this is still a missing persons case and not a criminal investigation.

"She’s going to come in the front lobby today and tell us that she's OK. That’s what I’m hoping for," Greenlee said.

On Thursday, police made up a flyer and began placing it all over the county including up to Monroe, North Carolina, where Bennett has other family members and friends.

Police said Bennett was captured on video at several places the day she disappeared.  One of those places was Founders Federal Credit Union in Pageland, where she is seen on camera in the drive-thru.

Investigators are studying that and other video, trying to find answers.

Greenlee said he's put Bennett’s family to work, hoping that they can work together to help in the investigation.

"I asked them to get together and write down every bit of information they can think of about her and her boyfriend over the last 30 days," he said.  "Anything that could be a missing piece of this puzzle."

Deputies pinged Bennett’s cellphone and found that she last used it midday on Monday. They have not been able to locate the phone.​

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