Found Deceased SC - Michael Benjamin Keen, 22, Columbia, 20 Nov 2021

[BrownBear]

Michael Benjamin Keen called his father Saturday night and said he was about to walk home from J’s Corner Restaurant & Bar, according to police. That’s on Rosewood Drive, near the South Carolina State Fairgrounds and Williams-Brice Stadium, where the Gamecocks beat the Auburn Tigers Saturday night.

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article256032357.html

 

[Coppertop15]

There's the Congaree river, but I don't think it's close, at least.

 

[BrownBear]

J's Corner Restaurant & Bar
1015 Rosewood Dr, Columbia, SC 29201
Google Maps

 

[FlamingoLady]

There's the Congaree river, but I don't think it's close, at least.

Depends on where "home" is. I cringe every darn time I see young men/bars/and water anywhere near....

 

[GuyfromCanada]

A body has been found, no identification yet.

The restaurant is approximately a mile from where officers found the body this afternoon.

Body found during search for missing UofSC student

 

[SouthernMom]

“Last year, the body of a missing UofSC student, Sam Laundon was found in the same quarry. ”

Hopefully just an unfortunate coincidence.

Columbia: Body found during search for missing UofSC student

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Does a victim being found at "Vulcan Materials" sound like foul play (as opposed to accident?)

 

[GraceG]

Does a victim being found at "Vulcan Materials" sound like foul play (as opposed to accident?)

If you put in the address for Vulcan Materials (who are all over the state it appears) the location is not far from the bar where he had called from. Depending on which way he walked home he might have cut through there. If you google their name pictures come up showing the large quarry. Address is: 545 Georgia St, Columbia, SC 29201

 

[Coppertop15]

Oh great, a quarry. That's as bad as a river.

 

[YaYa_521]

If you put in the address for Vulcan Materials (who are all over the state it appears) the location is not far from the bar where he had called from. Depending on which way he walked home he might have cut through there. If you google their name pictures come up showing the large quarry. Address is: 545 Georgia St, Columbia, SC 29201

It's about a 16 min walk according to Google Maps. I wonder which quarry the body was found? There is the large one at 545 Georgia St and another next to Olympia Cemetery on Granby Lane.

 

[YaYa_521]

“Last year, the body of a missing UofSC student, Sam Laundon was found in the same quarry. ”

Hopefully just an unfortunate coincidence.

Columbia: Body found during search for missing UofSC student

Sam's WS thread:
Found Deceased - SC - Samuel Laundon, 19, Columbia, 10 Oct 2020

ETA - SouthernMom's quote. Sorry for quoting the wrong post, @GuyfromCanada.

 

[GMS]

MBK's residence hasn't been provided, but there's student housing (The Orchard Columbia) at 112o Virginia Street in Columbia that would fit within the 3-5 minute walk from J's Corner as reported by MSM. This location would be heading north from the restaurant / bar, the quarry referenced on George Street would be heading west. If indeed MBK does live at the "Orchard" he wouldn't have accidentally ended up in the quarry if indeed the body found is confirmed to be him.

 

[amih21]

So sad

Body found in quarry confirmed to be USC student, Richland County coroner says

 

[ChatteringBirds]

So sad

Body found in quarry confirmed to be USC student, Richland County coroner says

Sincere condolences to his family.

 

[moonriverfarm]

What was he doing at the quarry? Can you accidentally fall in?

 

[Vail]

This is weird. I remember Sam's case and you can't really fall in the quarry accidentally, it is bordered by a fence and a ledge of thick shrubs so you'd have to get in there, then head over the edge and ALSO not know it is there, which seems unlikely if you're from there. It seems like the local PD has some investigating to do on why a second student has fallen in there around the same time of year and what can be done to prevent it happening again next year.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

@Vail The article linked above says Sam (to be clear - not Michael) is thought to have jumped the fence on purpose to attempt a shortcut home and his cause of death was trauma. But you don't think in the dark maybe one or both of these young men just didn't see it and fell in?
(Please note I'm asking opinion / purely speculating. I don't know details of either case.)
All IMO.

 

[SouthernMom]

So sad

Body found in quarry confirmed to be USC student, Richland County coroner says

My condolences to Michael’s family.