A man found dead Tuesday evening along the Congaree River in Columbia, S.C., has been identified as 38-year-old Addison L. Brown, a former Richmond County Sheriff’s deputy who was fired and arrested earlier this year for allegedly lying about an arrest.
Kayakers discovered Brown’s body on the riverbank near the University of South Carolina baseball field, according to media reports. Columbia police said an autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday. Investigators told WIS-TV that foul play is not suspected.
Brown made headlines in February when he was terminated and charged with felony violation of oath of office and making false statements in a government matter. Authorities accused him of falsifying details about an obstruction arrest involving a White male suspect.
Investigators said Brown’s body-camera footage did not match his report, showing no evidence of the suspect he claimed had fled from him on Forrest Drive in Hephzibah.
Brown had served with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office since April 2024 and had previously served in the military. His criminal case remained unresolved at the time of his death.
