‘It has devastated us’: Father of woman found burned in Chester County ditch pleads for help

CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — The father of a woman who was murdered nearly three years ago is crying out for help.

Melissa Whitis was 31 years old when Chester County deputies said someone murdered her, set her on fire, and threw her body into a ditch on Lizzie Melton Road, near Old Richburg Road.

Officials said Whitis is from Kentucky and has no ties to the area, but she was last seen alive on Sept. 17, 2019 near Interstate 40 in Davie County. She was found dead on Sept. 20.

Her family still has no idea why she was in South Carolina, and it’s still not even clear where she was killed.

On Thursday, Whitis’s father, Larry Farris, said he has no idea who did this or why. He said his entire family needs answers.

“It has devastated us, it’s all we think about every day. She was murdered brutally, thrown in a ditch and her body was set on fire,” Farris said. “Losing a child car wreck, natural causes is bad enough, but to go out like this is just horrible, horrible.”

The Chester County Sheriff’s Office said it’s still investigating. Deputies asked anyone with information to call 803-581-5131.

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Deputies identify woman found burned in Chester County ditch Deputies identify woman found burned in Chester County ditch

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