By Mike McCombs
The Island News
The two people found dead Friday night, March 22, in a St. Helena Island home in what the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office’s (BCSO) preliminary investigation indicates is a double murder, have been identified by the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office.
Deputy Coroner Andrew McNeese told The Island News on Monday, March 25, that the victims had been identified as 41-year-old Christiana Alkire and 38-year-old David Gardner. According to McNeese, both were residents of the Pearl Harbor Lane home, and both suffered multiple gunshot wounds. McNeese could not confirm how long the two victims had been dead when their bodies were discovered.
Shortly after 9 p.m. Friday, deputies were called to the Pearl Harbor Lane home after family members went to check on a relative out of concern.
According to the BCSO’s release, Alkire and Gardner had not been seen or heard from in a few days, which was out of character. This prompted a welfare check by the family.
When deputies entered the residence, a 38-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman were discovered deceased, both suffering from gunshot wounds.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths are currently under investigation and preliminary information indicates that both were murdered.
BCSO spokesperson Maj. Angela Viens told The Island News Saturday morning that she had not been informed by investigators “there were any signs of forced entry” or that there were indications of a robbery. She also said indications were that this was not a situation where one victim killed the other and then committed suicide.
The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone with information related to this investigation to contact Investigator Jennifer Petrone at 843-255-3440, or if wishing to remain anonymous and for a possible reward, Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry at 843-554-1111.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
