WHITMIRE — The fatal shooting of an elderly man is still under investigation by the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were dispatched early Sunday afternoon to a residence at 123 Wilkerson Road in the Whitmire area of the county in reference to a domestic call.

Wilkerson Road is just over the Newberry County line.

When they arrived, they discovered the body of James K. Smith, 75, in a house next to his residence.

Union County Sheriff David Taylor said that the house Smith’s body was found in was that of a relative.

Taylor declined, however, to state what the relationship was between Smith and the relative. He also declined to discuss the nature of the domestic call deputies were responding to when they found Smith’s body.

Taylor said that the investigation is continuing with investigators interviewing more witnesses. He added that his office was waiting for the pathologist’s report on the autopsy performed on Smith’s body.

While he would not comment further on the investigation itself, Taylor did say that his office will be conferring soon with the Sixteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office about the case. He declined, however, to give any more information about what that consultation would involve.

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By Charles Warner

cwarner@civitasmedia.com

Charles Warner can be reached at 864-762-4090.