Massachusetts man's mysterious South Carolina death on Hilton Head vacation shakes family: 'Unimaginable loss'
The family of a Massachusetts man found dead beneath a house in Hilton Head, South Carolina, after he disappeared from a family vacation is speaking out.
Stanley Kotowski, 60, was apparently suffering from insomnia and anxiety when he left his family's Hilton Head vacation rental and wandered off on the morning of Aug. 16. He was missing for 10 days before the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office located what they believe to be his remains on Monday.
"It is with deep sorrow that I share the heartbreaking news that Stan has been found," Kotowski's wife, Jackie Kotowski, wrote in a Monday Facebook post. "Sadly, he is no longer with us. Our hearts are heavy with grief as we begin to process this unimaginable loss."
She thanked "everyone who offered their support, shared information, and helped in the search efforts."
SOUTH CAROLINA POLICE FIND BODY OF MASSACHUSETTS MAN WHO VANISHED FROM HILTON HEAD FAMILY VACATION
"Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us during this incredibly difficult time," Jackie wrote. "As we take the time to come to terms with this news, we ask for your continued thoughts and prayers. We have not yet made arrangements, but we will share more information when we are able."
Authorities found Kotowski's body "beneath a residence" in the Sea Pines area of Hilton Head, a popular yet quiet vacation spot on the South Carolina coast.
"At about 11:30 a.m., today, August 26, 2024, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a home in Sea Pines in connection to suspicious activity. Throughout the course of the investigation, the body of a deceased male was located underneath a residence," the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said in a statement posted to Facebook. "It is believed that the deceased male is 60-year-old Stanley Kotowski of Massachusetts. Mr. Kotowski was reported missing on August 16, 2024."
MASSACHUSETTS MAN MISSING IN SOUTH CAROLINA AFTER HE VANISHED FROM HILTON HEAD VACATION
The sheriff's office added that his body "was recovered from underneath the home at about 3:30 p.m." on Monday afternoon.
Ring doorbell footage released over the weekend shows Kotowski leaving his family's Hilton Head, South Carolina, rental residence on the same day he disappeared.
In the video released by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, Kotowski can be seen walking out the front door of the South Sea Pines Drive rental, barefoot. Kotowski also appears to be confused in the video as he stops walking and looks around in the middle of the street before continuing on.
Jackie told local news outlet WJCL that "[h]e just walked out the door."
"He had really bad insomnia for about a month. He doesn't have dementia. His anxiety just kept getting worse and worse and worse and he started to get a little paranoid," she said.
A BCSO report obtained by WJCL says Jackie told deputies her husband "believes Sea Pines is a 'set up' and has a conspiracy that the people here are out to get him. She stated that Stanley has made several statements of people at this place ‘watching him.’"
Before Stanley left their rental, he apparently told Jackie, "Promise me you will go on without me," according to the report.
The county coroner will conduct an autopsy on Tuesday.