Reclusive woman's death sobers small SC community

SANDY RUN, S.C. — Mary Sue Merchant died of natural causes in a tightly locked house on 25 acres in this small community, with only a dog for company. Sometime later, the lonely dog died of thirst in the same room.

And for 18 months, nobody knew the reclusive widow was gone - not even when the house was sold for back taxes while her decomposing body lay inside.

"We didn't know this lady existed," Sheriff Thomas Summers said.

Only after the 72-year-old woman's body was found last week did it occur to neighbors they hadn't seen her in awhile. And some people wondered if they've lost a fundamental connection of small-town life.

"We've lost the community," said the Rev. Neil Flowers, who plans to talk about Merchant on Sunday at Beulah United Methodist Church, a few miles from where Merchant died. "We do our own thing. We lead busy lives. We go and go and go ... and stay within our comfort zone."

By all accounts, Merchant and her husband kept to themselves. They had no children. The sheriff and coroner say one neighbor told them David Merchant was a prison guard who feared retribution from former inmates - but officials couldn't confirm if he worked for the state.

David Merchant died in October 1985 at age 53 and his widow apparently lost touch with her own older sister years ago, said Calhoun County Coroner Donnie Porth, who's trying to determine that woman's last name and track her down. A sister-in-law who tried to call - once - found the phone disconnected and assumed Merchant had gotten a cell phone, Porth said. Through the coroner, the woman declined to speak to The Associated Press.

"It's a sad tragedy this lady had absolutely nobody who cared enough to check on her - very sad," the sheriff said.

His deputies check on about 200 senior citizens monthly in this county of less than 15,000, 20 miles south of Columbia in central South Carolina. "But we have to know they're there," he said.

Sandy Run, which lacks even a red light, is an unincorporated community - a wide-spot in the road that drivers could miss if they blink.

It's the kind of place where locals can usually be counted on to say that everybody knows everybody else.

But safety nets for seniors who live alone failed in Merchant's case - or didn't exist. Authorities believe she didn't attend church. Her only prescribed medicine was for glaucoma, so she wasn't on any medical check list.

Many older people rely on family to check in on them, especially in rural areas, said Mary Beth Fields, aging services coordinator for the area.

"You'd hope neighbors would call," she said.

Mail, Fields said, should've been a red flag. But Merchant had a post office box, so no mail piled up for neighbors or a carrier to notice.

Merchant's electricity was cut off in February 2008 after three months of unpaid bills.

Meanwhile, the brick ranch home sat partly obscured by trees and brush from the road, Merchant's white four-door Chevy parked in front and a faded "Beware of Dog" sign on a telephone pole.

Four days after Merchant's body was discovered, a loaded .38-caliber revolver beneath her pillow, neighbor Ed Spradley heard the news from a reporter. He said he never talked to Merchant, but realized it had been awhile since her car had moved.

Across the street, neighbor Tonya Craven said if she'd known Merchant was all alone, she'd have checked on her. But she said they spoke only once when Craven's dog ran away.

Merchant fed and cared for about 15 wild dogs, so Craven wanted to see if her dog had joined the pack. "She was very generous to them," Craven said.

While talking with a reporter, it occurred to Craven she hadn't seen those dogs in some time.

Merchant's unpaid property taxes led to her discovery.

When she didn't pay a $234 bill in January 2008, the county mailed delinquency notices to her post office box, which came back as undeliverable. The property, worth about $160,000 according to county records, was sold Dec. 1, 2008, for $20,000, said county administrator Lee Prickett.

The buyer, local real estate agent Thomas Kohn, did not return messages seeking comment.

No one from the county walked the property before selling it. Prickett said that's considered trespassing because owners in debt have a year to pay.

But authorities say Kohn noticed Merchant's car never moved, so he asked deputies to check.

Officially, it's only assumed the remains discovered Thursday are Merchant's. Dental records are being checked before she is buried beside her husband in a prepaid plot in Newberry. An autopsy Friday determined she died of natural causes, though specifics are unknown due to the condition of the remains, said Porth. How long the dog - breed undetermined - lived without its owner is unknown; there was plenty of dog food in the house, but no water, Porth said.

Becky Rucker, owner of the local florist for 30 years, said she vaguely remembers David Merchant, but has been trying to recall what Mary Sue Merchant looked like.

"It's so sad. It makes me feel bad for our community," she said. "In this day, we're supposed to be out of everybody's business, but I think sometimes that goes too far."

How sad that no one gets to know their neighbors anymore.You might not want them nosing into your buisness,but it would be nice to know someone would notice if something happened to you.

I don't know. If she did die of natural causes, she would be brokenhearted if she knew that her dog had died from having no water, but she probably was happier being able to die at home by herself.

This is a sad story.

I have to admit that I am guluty of mot making an effort to get to know my neighbors. I have so much school to worry about, but sometimes its nice to talk to other people. A lot of people have the mentality "its not my business I dont care." This story is a wake up call

That's so sad. We have lost the community spirit of people checking in on their neighbours and making sure people were well.

When I lived at home with my parents we had a 90 year old lady as a neighbour and my Mam always insisted that she knock on the wall at night before she went to bed just to let us know all was well. When I was little we played in the street and somebody's parent was always keeping a watchful eye. I'd trust the dog to watch the girls outside more than our neighbours

As for the lady's poor doggie, well that just breaks my heart. The faithfulness of dogs is incredible

That was very sad to read, to think that she died all alone with her pet by her side.

This is how I see my future, but instead of one dog, I will have a menagerie of animals that will feast on my body because they are so hungry.

This story really shows why dogs are called man's best friend. I feel sorry both her and the dog. You would think that someone would notice not seeing her for awhile. I know i'd sure notice if I hadn't seen my neighbor in awhile. I guess sometimes it is good to be a little nosy. Then at least the dog would have been taken care of.