South Carolina Man Dies From Heart Attack While Burying Girlfriend He Killed

One man in Trenton, South Carolina met his demise after an odd turn of events.

A man named Joseph McKinnon, 60, was found lying unresponsive in his backyard, atop a pile of freshly laid soil.

Responders assessed that McKinnon had suffered a heart attack and died in his backyard. A neighbor had called in the emergency when they spotted the man.

The story took a twist when Edgefield County Sheriff's Department discovered blood inside McKinnon's residence while investigating his death, which led them back to the pile of dirt where McKinnon was found.

As reported by People Magazine, authorities dug up the spot and found the body of McKinnon's dead girlfriend, Patricia Ruth Dent.

Investigators concluded that McKinnon was hastily burying the 65-year-old Dent until he suffered a heart attack during his cover-up and died. Dent was found with signs of head trauma and strangulation.

Co-workers of Dent's had reportedly grown concerned after their continual outreach was met with silence.

"We continued to investigate the yard and this huge garden," said Deputy Jody Rowland. "The house had been freshly cleaned, but we were able to identify blood in the house that tested as hers."

"That took us back to the pit he was digging. We got down in the pit and started digging around," he added. "We uncovered it enough that we found black garbage bags."

"She had been hit in the face, but that was certainly not a death blow. The autopsy proved she had died of strangulation. His autopsy proved he died of a massive heart attack. ... Basically, this case is over."

Follow along on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela