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Nearly two months after a K9 deputy with the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) perished in his handler’s patrol car, the name of the deputy being investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has finally surfaced.
The name of the fallen K9 – who died after being left in a hot car on July 28, 2024 – has yet to be released, however.
According to demotion paperwork submitted to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA), 40-year-old Brandon Edwards of North Charleston remains on administrative assignment pending the outcome of SLED’s investigation. According to a notice of disciplinary action submitted on September 12, 2024, Edwards was demoted from master deputy to deputy, his pay was decreased, and he was removed from the K9 team.
The notice (.pdf) stated Edwards “left his K9 partner unattended in his department issued vehicle without the temperature controls operating.”
No reference was made of the fact the K9 perished as a result of the incident.
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Edwards has been employed by DCSO since October 2014. Previously, he was a master trainer for the U.S. Air Force (USAF). Edwards enlisted in 2006, according to his LinkedIn biography, and a few years later became a handler. During his deployment to Afghanistan, he was partnered with a german shepherd named Waldo.
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In a 2011 article published by the Air Force, Edwards described his bond with Waldo and referenced how the K9 was “taken care of better than most house pets.”
He also talked about the “sense of fulfillment” he and his fellow handlers experienced working with their K9 partners.
“It’s hard to explain,” Edwards said. “It’s like having the perfect partner. No matter what you do, they’re still there for you like a child that is your best friend. They always have your back; it’s like having a guardian angel with four legs.”
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When Waldo died of an illness at the age of 11 in 2012, Edwards mourned him publicly in ceremonies featured in the media. Shortly thereafter, he was paired with another military K9 named Shark. A 2013 photo shows the two awaiting a dental procedure for the canine.
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Sources familiar with the ongoing investigation told us Edwards had issues with more than one of the dogs he was partnered with after joining DCSO – but very little information has been made public due to the pending probe.
The only exception is related to the February 2021 retirement of Edwards’ former K9 partner – a nine-year-old named York (a.k.a. “Yo-Yo”).
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The unnamed K9 found dead was five years old and is believed to have succumbed to heat exhaustion.
Since July 31, 2024, our news outlet has been requesting information about this incident – but those requests have been either declined or deferred.
Upon receiving our initial inquiry, lieutenant Rick Carson – DCSO’s public information officer – said no statements would be made “until the investigation and necropsy are done”. He said he did not know when to expect the results of the necropsy. Carson said DCSO was “at the mercy of the pathologist.”
On August 1, 2024, we contacted Carson again and asked him to confirm the name of the handler as provided by our sources. There was no response. On August 5, 2024, we asked for an update on the case. Again, there was no reply.
On August 9, 2024, we sent a Freedom of Information Act request to DCSO asking for the investigative report and the acquisition and training documents for the K9. This request was denied. In an email on August 10, 2024, Carson said the FOIA request would have to be submitted through the online portal.
“If you request it now records will reject it because the investigation is ongoing,” Carson advised. “I would wait another week or so. We haven’t heard anything from the pathologist, and we have been in a state of emergency since beginning of the week.”
A week later on August 16, 2024, we again asked for an update on the case and received an automated response indicating that Carson was out of the office until August 18.
On August 20, 2024, we requested the investigative report. Carson said he hoped it would be ready by the end of the week.
Still, nothing…
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Late last month, a former DCSO deputy took to social media demanding accountability in the matter.
“Dorchester County is trying to sweep this under the rug,” former deputy Adam Throckmorton said. “They’re trying to duck the news media, and they’re just trying to make it like it never happened.”
On the day we reported on Throckmorton’s allegations, DCSO posted a statement to its Facebook page announcing that it had “forwarded the findings” of its investigation into the matter “to an external agency for an investigative review.”
DCSO’s statement referenced “misinformation circulating across social media” and urged the public “to not draw conclusions from any other source, pending the results of the investigation.” The agency never detailed the alleged “misinformation” – or its purported source.
Shortly after this statement was posted, SLED announced it had taken over the case – although the agency’s director of public information, Renée Wunderlich, clarified that her agency was leading an independent inquiry as opposed to merely conducting an “investigative review.”
Nearly two months after this horrific incident, the Lowcountry community has been unable to show its respects for this fallen K9 deputy. There has been no public ceremony or funeral. His final resting place is unknown.
All eyes are on SLED to fill in the blanks with its investigation – which will hopefully answer many looming questions about the incident. Count on this media outlet to keep our audience apprised of the latest developments in this case as we seek the same answers…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters.’ Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.
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