PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A man has been arrested in connection with a dead woman found behind a church in Pickens County.
According to the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a report around 4:32 a.m. of an unresponsive woman with injuries to her head and face lying behind Tabor United Methodist Church near 1943 Ireland Road.
Upon arrival, deputies located the unresponsive woman near a wood line. Life-saving measures were given, however the victim ultimately died from her injuries.
“After that we began a criminal investigation in a matter of her injuries being consistent, a suspicious death.” Pickens County Chief Deputy Chuck James said.
The Pickens County Coroner has identified the victim as Kaitlyn Mack, 21, of Central.
Deputies examined the scene and determined that the death appeared to be suspicious.
Upon further investigation, a person of interest was identified and interviewed by detectives, which ultimately led to the arrest of Zachary Earl Roach, 25. Roach was taken into custody by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and is charged with murder.
“The suspect was actually the one that had dialed 911 that morning,” James said. “Early that morning he (Roach) became a person of interest. Ultimately through further interviews with him, sufficient probable cause came about for us to arrest him for Kaitlyn’s murder.”
According to the arrest warrant, Roach is accused of repeatedly hitting Mack in the head and face resulting in her death.
He is being held at the Pickens County Detention Center and was not given a bond.
The investigation remains ongoing by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.
