Columbia, S.C. — The remains of Martha Ann Dicks, one of the final victims of notorious serial killer Pee Wee Gaskins, have been found after nearly 50 years of being lost. Dicks went missing in 1972 at just 17 years old, becoming one of many victims of the infamous killer. Her remains were initially discovered in 1997 in a drainage ditch in Sumter County, but they were lost and forgotten for years.
The Mysterious Discovery:
- The remains were reportedly found in a box in a closet on the College of Charleston campus, where they had been sent years earlier for research purposes. The box had been misplaced, and it wasn’t until recently that the remains were recovered.
- Robbie Baker, Sumter County’s coroner, expressed his sadness over the finding, saying, “It’s sad to think that we’re looking at a box that holds the remains of somebody that’s been missing for 54 years.”
The Tragic Backstory:
- Martha Ann Dicks, also affectionately known as Clyde, was reported missing in 1972. She was 17 years old at the time, and her disappearance was linked to Pee Wee Gaskins, who later admitted in court and his autobiography that he poisoned and murdered Dicks before dumping her body in the ditch.
- After her remains were found in 1997, they were sent to the College of Charleston for what was believed to be academic research. However, the remains were misplaced and remained unaccounted for until recently.
Emotional Impact on Family:
- The discovery of Dicks’ remains has been a bittersweet moment for her surviving family members. Adrienne House Clark, Dicks’ god-sister, spoke to the pain of the renewed attention to the case, saying, “It’s just painful that it’s coming back up after all of these years. It’s hurtful… It’s like reliving it all over again.”
- Baker has been working to reconnect with Dicks’ family, and some of her nieces and nephews have been located, bringing some sense of closure to the long-unsolved mystery.
The College of Charleston’s Role:
- The College of Charleston explained in a statement that the remains were received years ago from a University of South Carolina professor for academic purposes. Both professors are now deceased, and the remains were transferred to the Charleston County Coroner’s Office approximately five years ago.
- Last week, the Charleston County Coroner’s Office sent the remains to the coroners in the respective county jurisdictions where the victims were located, including Sumter County.
The Mystery of Lost Remains:
- The loss of Martha Ann Dicks’ remains remains shrouded in mystery, as it’s unclear who was responsible for the error that led to her remains being misplaced. However, the discovery is bringing some much-needed attention to this decades-old case and helping provide closure to Dicks’ family.
