From staff reports
Police have confirmed the identity of a body found earlier this year on St. Helena Island as that of a man missing since 2017.
Michael Hatfied was last seen at his Creek House Lane home on St. Helena Island, Nov. 26, 2017. DNA analysis completed by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Services Laboratory confirmed that skeletal remains discovered Jan. 5 in a wooded area off Dulamo Road belong to Hatfield. He was 67 years old at the time of his disappearance.
According to the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office, Hatfield’s cause and manner of death have yet to be determined. The Sheriff’s Office investigation into Hatfield’s death is ongoing.
Family members reported Hatfield as missing and endangered two days after he was last seen. At the time, he was believed to have left his home on foot. Family and friends expressed concern about Hatfield’s well-being due to his unspecified medical conditions.
Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to contact Staff Sgt. Todd Duncan at 843-255-3418 or Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry at 843-554-1111, if wishing to remain anonymous and for possible reward
