A Graniteville man was found shot to death Tuesday morning inside a mobile home next to El Cheapo gas station, marking Aiken County’s first homicide of 2022.
The homeowner could not get his tenant to answer the door at 213 Ascauga Lake Rd. and asked sheriff’s officials to conduct a well-being check around 8:25 a.m. Tuesday.
“When deputies went inside the home, they found a deceased Hispanic male lying on the floor near the door with an apparent gunshot wound to his abdomen,” sheriff’s Capt. Eric Abdullah said.
The victim has been identified as the resident tenant, 32-year-old Jairo Martinez. Investigators were using an interpreter to help in the case. Also assisting the sheriff’s office are the Aiken Department of Public Safety and the Coroner’s Office.
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Aiken County recorded 25 homicides last year, one less than the previous year, according to the coroner’s office.
The sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s help with this new homicide.
“Community assistance is important with any investigation,” Abdullah said in a press release. “We ask that if anyone has any information, we encourage them to contact the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 648-6811. You can provide information anonymously through Midlands Crime Stoppers. Your tip could earn you a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for any crime.”
Other ways to contact law enforcement with a tip:
Phone tip- (888) CRIME-SC (888) 274-6372
Web tip- www.midlandscrimestoppers.com and click Submit a Tip.
Mobile tip- Download the new P3 Tips app on your Apple or Android Device ACSO Mobile App-Downloaded from App Store or Google Play
Greg Rickabaugh is the Jail Report Contributor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at greg.rickabaugh@theaugustapress.com