10/22/2021- 8:24 p.m.
North Carolina– Two people have been arrested after a body of a man was found buried inside a well in Connelly Springs, N.C., according to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
The man found is identified after 56-year-old Howell Thomas Buchanan Jr., who investigators asked for information of his whereabouts on August 12, saying he hadn’t been seen in quite some time.
On Wednesday, Buchanan’s ex-girlfriend, 46-year-old Donna Hagy was arrested for concealment of death. That same day, 41-year-old Dwayne Smith was also arrested for the same charge.
Hagy was issued a $50,000 bond and Smith received a $75,000 bond.Detectives found that the person who killed Buchanan died days after killing him.
Investigators believe Buchanan was killed with blunt force trauma and strangulation. He is believed to have been dead prior to being put into the well.
Detectives believe there was some kind of argument between the suspect and victim.“The information we have is that there was an altercation between the suspect and the victim.
We don’t believe the person was alive when he was put into the well,” said Sheriff Steve Whisenant.
