Investigators said 6-year-old Faye Swetlik's death is being treated as a homicide. This comes four days after the young girl was last seen getting off of a school bus in Cayce, a suburb of the state's capital Columbia.
No arrests have been made, and investigators did not indicate whether they have identified any persons of interest in her death.
"This is a fluid situation, and we're working diligently on it," said Byron Snelgrove, Cayce's director of public safety.
The unidentified man's body was found during the search for Swetlik. A new investigation is underway for that case, and Snelgrove did not say if the two deaths were connected.
Investigators said there is no danger to the public.
Investigators released an image Wednesday showing two vehicles known to be in the area where Faye was last seen, Cayce officials said tips helped them identify and locate the people in one of the vehicles.
Police questioned the occupants of the SUV but did not release any specifics from what they learned. Officers did say they still need help identifying the people in the car.
New images could provide break in search for missing 6-year-old
Sgt. Evan Antley of the Cayce Public Safety Department confirmed Thursday morning that investigators had towed vehicles away to be searched as part of the case. In addition, the home where Faye lives with her mother has been searched multiple times.
Surveillance cameras captured what are believed to be the last images of the first grader. They show her getting off her school bus while wearing a black t-shirt with the word "peace" written on it.
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Faye's mysterious disappearance garnered national intrigue. The FBI joined many other organizations going door-to-door and scouring any source for possible leads in the case.
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An Amber Alert was never issued for the young girl because investigators had no evidence to say Faye was kidnapped.
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