Sampson Community College is known for having developed some of the best law enforcement officers in the area through its Criminal Justice Technology and Basic Law Enforcement training programs. One way to keep up this reputation is to ensure that those who provide that training stay at the top of their game as well.

Jennifer Wiley, Basic Law Enforcement Training director for SCC, is participating in Clandestine Grave Search and Recovery training with Sirchie Acquisition Company this week in Youngsville. Sirchie is known as a leader in crime scene investigation and forensic science solutions. The company also provides products, vehicles, and training to the law enforcement and forensic science communities. Wiley’s participation is part of professional development for the Criminal Justice Technology program at SCC.

Clandestine graves mean they are hidden and not meant to be found, typically followed by a homicide. Often after a murder, a suspect will dig a hole or dump items in an effort to hide evidence from law enforcement officers in an attempt to conceal a crime. This training details strategies for recovering such evidence and bringing a case against a suspect.

“We are given a scenario in which suspicious circumstances exist,” said Wiley. “In this case, two guys were hanging out drinking together and when one of the two became angry and killed the other with a golf club and hid the body.”

The “body” was a deer carcass and fake skulls that had been buried on a 100-acre lot more than a month ago.

Wiley’s recovery team, which included a member of the South Carolina Coroner’s Office, an investigator from Tennessee and a deputy from New Jersey, used forensic techniques to locate and analyze the remains for clues. For information about SCC’s Criminal Justice Technology or Basic Law Enforcement Training programs, contact Jennifer Wiley at 910-900-4054.

Sampson Community College’s Jennifer Wiley digs for clues.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_JenniferWiley.jpgSampson Community College’s Jennifer Wiley digs for clues.

By Dan Grubb

Sampson Community College