The death of a South Carolina sheriff unexpectedly triggered a far-reaching investigation after colleagues clearing out his office reportedly discovered sealed evidence bags containing cash inside a locked desk drawer. Some of the bags were empty, while others had been cut open or contained only part of the money they were supposed to hold. The discovery prompted state investigators to examine years of drug-related cash seizures, ultimately uncovering nearly $49,000 in missing funds and raising serious questions about how evidence was handled under the late sheriff’s administration.
A routine office clearance led to an unexpected discovery
According to The Dillon Herald, Sheriff Douglas “Humbunny” Pernell, the first Black sheriff elected in Dillon County, South Carolina, died unexpectedly from a sudden cardiac event on 7 August 2023 at the age of 61. Two weeks later, family members, deputies and colleagues gathered to remove his personal belongings from his office.As reported by Queen City News, while packing his office, they encountered a locked drawer built into a credenza beside his desk. Unable to locate a key, deputies forced it open with a pry bar. Inside were multiple sealed evidence bags, documents relating to narcotics investigations and bundles of cash that should not have been stored in a sheriff’s personal office. Some evidence bags had been torn open, while others were empty. Recognising the potential significance of the discovery, deputies secured the contents and contacted theSouth Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the state’s primary investigative agency.
Investigators found thousands of dollars missing
SLED investigators documented every evidence bag recovered from the drawer and compared the contents with official seizure records from Dillon County drug investigations.According to the investigation, the evidence bags were related to 24 separate drug-seizure cases. Although officers recovered a small amount of cash from several bags, investigators concluded that $48,691.57 that should have been present was missing. Eighteen evidence bags were empty, while six contained only partial amounts of the money originally seized.South Carolina’s asset forfeiture laws require law enforcement agencies to transfer seized cash to the county treasurer until a court determines whether the money should be forfeited to the government or returned to its owner. However, investigators found that much of the money never reached the treasurer’s office as required by law. Instead, deputies consistently handed the cash directly to Sheriff Pernell.
Deputies described an unusual system for handling seized cash
During interviews with SLED, multiple narcotics investigators said Sheriff Pernell instructed officers from the beginning of his administration that all seized cash was to be delivered directly to him, regardless of where or when it was recovered.According to the reports, Investigators Ryan Bethea and Troy Jones told SLED they would count the money together with the sheriff, seal it inside evidence bags and then hand it over to him personally. After that, they said, they never saw the cash again. They also stated that the sheriff did not require standard evidence-transfer forms or chain-of-custody documentation, practices that investigators later described as highly unusual.Former evidence custodian Lt Wayne Kirby also told investigators that shortly after taking office, Pernell instructed him that no one else should handle seized drug money and that every cash seizure should be turned over exclusively to the sheriff.
Concerns had reportedly surfaced long before the discovery
The investigation found that questions about the handling of seized money had arisen well before the sheriff’s death.Dillon County Treasurer Jamie Estes reportedly noticed that drug busts announced by the sheriff’s office often mentioned cash seizures, yet corresponding deposits never appeared in county accounts. She said she repeatedly raised the issue with county officials and members of the sheriff’s office, and county administrators later reminded the sheriff of the legal procedures governing forfeiture funds.Despite those warnings, investigators found little evidence that the handling of seized cash changed.The investigation also examined other financial matters, including allegations that money from a jail benevolence fund was withdrawn in cash and handed directly to the sheriff. While investigators documented the transaction, the reports did not establish where the money ultimately went.
The broader debate over police evidence and forfeiture procedures
Because Sheriff Pernell died before the investigation was completed, no criminal charges could be brought against him. Nevertheless, the findings have prompted Dillon County officials to review how evidence and forfeiture funds are managed and to begin the process of accounting for the missing money where possible.The case has also renewed debate over the safeguards surrounding civil asset forfeiture and police evidence management. Legal experts say the chain of custody for seized cash is designed to protect both criminal investigations and public trust. When those procedures are bypassed, even by senior officials, it becomes difficult to determine whether missing funds resulted from theft, poor record-keeping or systemic failures in oversight.
