Body discovered in McColl identified as missing Bennettsville girl, Iyana Lowery

BENNETTSVILLE, SC (WBTW) – The search for a missing 8-year-old Bennettsville girl has come to an end after deputies discovered her body Sunday morning in a remote area near McColl.

Marlboro County Coroner Tim Brown identifies the body found Sunday as Iyana Lowery, who had been missing since May 5.

According to a press release distributed by SLED on behalf of the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office, the body, now identified as Iyana Lowery, was discovered Sunday morning after officials received information that led them to the area near McColl.

“The body was recovered in an area off New Bridge Road,” according to Marlboro County Sheriff Charles Lemon. “The body was identified by Marlboro County Coroner Tim Brown through DNA records.”

Multiple law enforcement agencies searched for Iyana Lowery for nine days before discovering her body. It was discovered that Iyana was first missing when Marlboro County deputies were called to her home on Craig Circle in Bennettsville around 9 a.m. May 5.

At the home, deputies discovered Iyana’s mother, Ella Lowery, stabbed to death, and the 8-year-old little girl was missing. SLED, FBI, Florence County Sheriff’s Office and other surrounding agencies assisted in the search for Iyana until Sunday morning.

Marlboro County deputies arrested Jejauncey Fernando Harrington, 32, of Bennettsville, for the murder of Ella Lowery and kidnapping Iyana Lowery. He remains in the Marlboro County Detention Center where additional charges of murder and armed robbery have been added to charges he already faced, including murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime for Ella Lowery’s murder, and kidnapping and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in connection to the disappearance of Iyana.

Arrest warrants for Harrington show DNA found on a cigarette left at the crime scene at the home in Bennettsville linked Harrington to the murder, and Iyana Lowery’s DNA was discovered in Harrington’s vehicle. The warrants indicate phone records, witnesses, and Facebook messages prove a relationship existed between Harrington and Ella Lowery.

The coroner’s office reports Iyana Lowery’s manner of death is homicide.