Greenville County, SC – Investigators with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a suspect in connection with the 2023 murder of 57-year-old Janet Abrilz, whose body was discovered in Lakeside Park on August 27, 2023.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Robert Wilson Voorhees, 49, has been charged with murder. Voorhees was already in custody at the Greenville County Detention Center on unrelated charges from Greenville Police. He is now awaiting a bond hearing on the new count.
Authorities said Abrilz’s body was found by a passerby along the park’s trails, prompting an extensive homicide investigation. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office determined she died from blunt force trauma, with her death estimated between August 24 and August 25, 2023.
Despite years of investigation and numerous search warrants, the case remained unsolved until this week. Investigators said a DNA match established probable cause to charge Voorhees in the killing. Sheriff Hobart Lewis praised the determination of detectives, forensic experts, and community members who remained committed to finding justice for Abrilz and her family.
“This case has weighed heavily on our agency and our community for more than two years,” Sheriff Lewis said. “Our investigators promised we would not stop until we found answers — today, that promise has been kept.”
The Sheriff’s Office noted that this marks the 14th cold case homicide solved since the agency’s unit was revamped in 2020.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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