Crenshaw explains OC Sheriff’s Office actions in Hipps Case

In response to inquiries, Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw explains his reasons for not releasing the file in the death investigation of Tucker Hipps. The 19-year-old Clemson University student went missing following a fraternity run and later found dead under the Highway 93 Bridge over Lake Hartwell on Sept. 22, 2014. “The Sheriff’s Office is fully committed to keeping this case as an open and active investigation until such time as we are able to determine the manner of death. There were some questions as to why the Sheriff’s Office transferred this case to its Unsolved Crimes Investigator; it gives us the best opportunity to solve it going forward.” The original lead investigator on the case receives 15-20 new cases each month whereas the Unsolved Crime Investigator works only nine unsolved death cases, which date back to the 1980s, adds Sheriff Crenshaw. “So as new leads come in, he has more time to follow up on them than that original investigator; however, the whole Criminal Investigation Division staff is available to assist him if needed.” Tucker Hipps’ parents are seeking $25 million plus punitive damages in civil lawsuits filed against Clemson University, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and three of its members. Sheriff Crenshaw says that civil court is much different from criminal court. “A civil case has been filed by the victim’s family and some allegations have been made, but we just ask our citizens to understand that those are simply allegations. There is a big difference between civil court and criminal court. On the civil side, you can make all the allegations in the world but on the criminal side we have to have facts and circumstances called probable cause to present to a magistrate.” Sheriff Crenshaw says he is not releasing the case file in order to protect the integrity of the case. “There is information in any criminal investigation that obviously only law enforcement and the perpetrator or the suspect knows.” Sheriff Crenshaw said the proper time to reveal the results of a law enforcement investigation into a criminal case is in a court of law not while the investigation is still active and ongoing. Investigators are offering a $20,000 reward for information in the case. If you have any details that may help authorities, call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.