Branchville man missing more than four months, family refuses to give up

BRANCHVILLE, SC (WIS) - SLED and Branchville Police continue to investigate the disappearance of an Orangeburg County man.

Hiram Johnson, 37, has been missing since November 23 and his family is desperately searching for answers. More than four months later, Lorraine Johnson said she does not intend on giving up in the search for her only son.

Hiram was last seen outside of his home in Branchville. That’s when family members said he got into a black car with someone he thought he could trust. Hiram hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

So far in the investigation, Branchville Police said they found Hiram’s cellphone in the parking lot of a gas station just a couple miles away from his home.

His family said they received a ransom call shortly after Hiram’s disappearance – the caller demanding $25,000 and threatening to kill Hiram. His family said they’ll do whatever it takes to bring Hiram home and are planning to organize a search, offering a way for the community and his loved ones to help with efforts to find the missing family member everyone called “Sport.”

“We are planning to get another search team together that we could go out – maybe door-to-door, knocking and passing out fliers in hopes that someone has information,” said Lorraine. “If you have information, you don’t even have to give your name. If you just give us the information where we can find him, we will go and look in the area that you point us to and areas that you don’t point us to. We just want Sport home.”

Hiram was last seen wearing a white shirt with blue jeans and white shoes. He’s said to be about 5-foot-7 and the missing flier with his picture and description also mentions a long scar on the back of his neck that would be easy to identify, as well as a tattoo right below his neck.

“I just know that he left with a so-called friend/family member on November 23, and has not yet been see again,” Lorraine said. “Hiram is my life. He’s my only son and for him not to be here, it’s very painful. It’s very painful. I don’t like to miss a phone call because I never know when it could be Hiram trying to contact me.”

The family is planning to organize a search for Hiram, but have not yet set a date.

Anyone with information in Hiram’s disappearance should call the Branchville Police Department at 803-274-8820.