HARLEYVILLE -- Police have identified the body pulled from a Harleyville pond Wednesday morning as Harold Jones, whose age is unknown.

Dorchester County Coroner Chris Nisbet said his office received a call at 7:45 a.m. May 14 after a Harleyville property owner discovered a body floating in his residential pond.

"Initially, there was some confusion regarding the identity of the man until a further report came in regarding blood and unusual objects at a nearby home," Nisbet said.

Maj. Mike Turner of the Dorchester County Sheriff's Department said investigators determined the man was beaten to death at his home on Dogwood Trail, and then moved to the pond. Jones' body had not been in the water for a great length of time, probably less than 24 hours, Turner said. He said that Jones was an older man, probably retired, but that police do not know his work history at this time.

Jones did not have a car and was recently released from jail, but the offense for which he had been jailed was not determined as of Thursday.

"The first 24 hours after a crime is the best time to solve it," Turner said. "The detectives have been interviewing people and have developed several viable leads, and they're all out working this case."

The autopsy revealed that Jones sustained severe beatings to his back and head, and those injuries ultimately caused his death. Nisbet ruled the cause of death as massive head trauma.

Jones had one and possibly two ex-wives, Turner said, and several children living both in and out of the area. Both his sister and mother were traveling to Harleyville from out of state on Thursday, he said.

T&D Correspondent Stephanie Pietrowski can be reached by e-mail at SPietro122@aol.com or by phone at 843-636-9005.

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