The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office has been conducting an investigation into the disappearance of a Spartanburg County man reported missing on July 14, 2016.
Christopher Allen Tankersley (30yoa) was last seen on the evening of Wednesday, July 13th after visiting a friend in the Six Mile Community. Tankersley left the friend’s residence operating a 2016 Kawasaki motorcycle stating that he was going home to his address in Boiling Springs, SC.
Mr. Tankersley never arrived at his residence and the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office along with Tankersley’s family and friends proceeded to search for him and any information in the following days that would answer questions regarding his disappearance.
During the initial stages of the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office canvassed the area and interviewed numerous residents and acquaintances. Area convenience stores were contacted for any possible surveillance video that may have captured images of Tankersley.
Search Warrants were requested and obtained in order to retrieve and review cell phone records. The Sheriff’s Office flew the area between Six Mile and Boiling Springs; however, no signs of Mr. Tankersley or the motorcycle could be found.
Last night, at approximately 9:00pm, the Sheriff’s Office was notified that a motorcycle had been seen by an area resident earlier this week parked in a secluded area behind Six Mile Elementary near a nature trail.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the location and after locating the motorcycle, Mr. Tankersley was found deceased a short distance into the wooded area.
Evidence recovered at the scene indicates that the victim had been deceased for several days and that he died from self-inflicted injuries. A shotgun which Tankersley had purchased from a friend on the date of his disappearance was also recovered at the location next to the body.
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