Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Unsolved Case Unit Closes 2002 Homicide Investigation

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------The Unsolved Case Unit of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, after consultations with the 10^th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, has closed a 2002 homicide investigation. 

On the morning of June 28^th, 2002, Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office responded to a mobile home at 271 N. Retreat Road, which is near S. Highway 11, in reference to 50 year old Bruce Gaines Marett being discovered dead by a friend on a couch inside of the residence, which was owned by a family member of Mr. Marett’s.  The mobile home is no longer there and the land is a vacant lot. 

Investigators were called to the scene to start the death investigation.  Investigators believed that Mr. Marett was killed during the overnight hours of June 27^th-June 28^th, 2002.  An autopsy was conducted to assist with the death investigation.  The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head with resultant cerebral trauma.  The victim had also suffered some stab wounds.  The manner of death was ruled as a homicide. 

According to information obtained during the course of the investigation, it was believed by investigators that Mr. Marett knew who killed him and allowed them to come inside of the residence.  Investigators also believed that the motive for the crime was a robbery.  Investigators also discovered that an unsuccessful attempt was made to set the mobile home on fire. 

According to a 2013 release from the Sheriff’s Office, Investigators did have some persons of interest in the homicide and robbery attempt; however, Investigators did not have enough evidence to charge anyone with the crime. 

In 2014, Retired SLED Agent Dean Brown was hired part-time by Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw as a cold-case investigator.  Based upon evidence obtained by Investigator Brown, a man by the name of James Forrest Ritchie was identified as a suspect in Mr. Marett’s death.  However, Ritchie was not charged after consultations between Investigators and the 10^th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.  Investigators later learned that Ritchie died in his home state of West Virginia on March 25^th, 2017.  

In 2021, the Unsolved Case and Missing Person’s Unit was created by Sheriff Crenshaw with Captain Jimmy Dixon and Sgt. Barry Owens heading up the unit in order to investigate missing person’s cases and to put a fresh set of eyes on the unsolved cases.

After recent consultations with 10^th Circuit Solicitor Micah Black, it was determined that probable cause existed to charge James Forest Ritchie with Murder in the death of Mr. Marett.  According to information obtained during the investigation, it was determined that Ritchie had gone to the mobile home to obtain property, which was some pills that he had given Mr. Marett and was not paid for. It was during these events that Ritchie killed Marett.   

However, due to the fact that Ritchie is deceased, the case is now closed due to death by offender.  Investigators have met with the family members of Mr. Marett to make them aware of their findings and that the case involving the murder of Mr. Marett is now closed. 

“Investigator Dean Brown put a lot of work into this case and a huge amount of thanks is owed to him,” according to Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw.  “Investigator Brown did review the facts of the case then with the Solicitor’s Office; however, the feeling was that there was not enough probable cause to go forward with a prosecution.”

“Since that time, the offender in this case has passed away, and with the new Solicitor coming on board and our Investigators meeting with him regarding some of our cold cases, including the Marett case, he is in agreement with us that probable cause does exist to close this case out as an offender death,” continues Sheriff Crenshaw.  “We hope to be able to provide some closure for the Marett family.  We will not be able to go forward with the prosecution as the offender is deceased.”

The closure of the homicide investigation involving Bruce Gaines Marett is the second unsolved case to be closed in the last few weeks.  Back on February 23^rd, the Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 33 year old Coax Arnold Sanford, V on charges of Murder and Possession of a Violent Crime in the December 20^th, 2015 shooting death of Jesse Eugene Mulkey.

“In the Marett case and in the Mulkey case, our previous investigators have put a lot of effort and time into these investigations and have certainly laid the groundwork for us to be where we are at today,” says Sheriff Crenshaw.  “We certainly appreciate all those that have helped on these cases, and special thanks to Solicitor Black and his commitment to work with us to bring some of these cases to closure.”