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Coroner IDs bodies of 2 men found in burning pickup truck

By Alexa Ashwell
By Alexa Ashwell

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Two North Carolina men found dead in a burning pickup truck were shot by two other men during a drug deal in a South Carolina home, Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller said.

Deputies began unfolding the mystery Thursday evening when someone called in a tip there had been a shooting at a Blacksburg home and evidence was being destroyed. When an officer arrived, he found Donald Creswell Jr. burning carpet and other items, Mueller said at a Friday night news conference.

IMAGES: 2 found dead in burning truck, York Co. officials say

"We clearly saw a crime had been committed," the sheriff said. "There was evidence there that led our officers to believe someone had been shot."

Several hours later, investigators heard two bodies had been found in a burning truck on a dirt road a few miles away in York County and made the connection, authorities said.

RELATED: Family members of men found in burned truck speak out

Creswell, 45, and Steven Parker, 33, are both charged with murder. It wasn't known if they had lawyers.

It was unclear where the shooting victims were until the sheriff received a call from York County investigators.

Information later led investigators to Parker, who officials said also took part in the homicides.

On Sunday, the York County Coroner identified the two men found dead as 35-year-old Aron Lucas Young and 43-year-old Jerry Dwayne Farmer, both of Gastonia.

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Channel 9 saw log trucks pulling in and out of Bonner Horton Road near Hickory Grove, the only traffic to come by in hours.

CHOPPER 9: Bodies of 2 men found in burning truck in York County

"It's just isolated. Nothing but a dirt road, gravel road and woods," said Jeff Crawford, who cuts timber in the area.

Just before midnight Thursday someone driving by saw the woods on fire. Closer up, they saw a pickup truck in flames.

Channel 9 got pictures of it as a wrecker towed it away.

Investigators found the bodies of Farmer an Young in the bed of the truck.

The men were shot to death before being put in the pickup truck and driven to where it was set on fire, Mueller said.

Creswell and Parker first planned to meet the victims in North Carolina for a drug deal, the sheriff said.

The victims "were spooked — thought these guys were setting them up. They talked later, talked them to coming down to Cherokee County to conduct a drug transaction. One of the gentlemen got up and began shooting both individuals in the home," Mueller said.

Officials said it is believed the bodies were moved to one location and then the location in York County. They could not confirm who drove the truck.

It's unnerving for Thomas Hall, who hunts in the area.

"It's close. It hits close to home when you have something like this of that nature," Hall said.

People in the rural area recently created a community watch group after incidents along the road, a resident told reporter Stephanie Coueignoux.

Investigators are still trying to figure out whether anyone helped the suspects try to hide evidence and burn the bodies.

Both suspects had extensive criminal histories, with Parker committing an especially violent crime when he was a juvenile, said Mueller, who declined to give details.

"He has shown a history of snubbing his nose at the system," the sheriff said of Parker.

The brutal crime shows how dangerous drugs are not just to users, but to everyone, Mueller said.

"People are addicted to drugs and they continue to want to use that product to harm themselves and others," the sheriff said.

Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew over the area, where the burned-out truck was still at the crime scene, sitting partially on an overgrown road bed.

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