Spartanburg County, South Carolina — Late Tuesday night a 19-year-old high school student was found dead in the middle of a local road, and his sudden loss has left classmates, teachers and neighbors struggling to understand what happened.
Officials were called just after 10 p.m. to the intersection of Howard Street and Simuel Road in Spartanburg County. When emergency responders arrived, they discovered the body of Jose Julian Morales-Diaz, a senior at Dorman High School, lying in the roadway. He was pronounced dead there at the scene.
Morales-Diaz was known among his friends as a quiet but hardworking student who had hopes of finishing strong in his final year at school. The news spread quickly through the tight-knit community on Wednesday, and counselors were brought in to help students and staff cope with grief and shock.
At this moment, authorities from the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office are working together to piece together the circumstances around his death. The coroner’s office said an autopsy is scheduled, but no cause of death has yet been officially released.
Family members, classmates and school leaders have declined to speculate on what might have led to the tragedy. Many who knew Jose described him as someone who cared about his friends and took his schoolwork seriously, and his absence has left a gap in the hallways and classrooms of his school.
Deputies initially responded to a report of a “man down” in the road, and the sheriff’s office is urging anyone who might have information to come forward to help fill in the missing pieces of that night. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Spartanburg County School District 6 officials say they are focused on supporting students and staff during this painful time, offering counseling and space to talk through feelings of loss. The community is still trying to absorb the reality that a young life with so much ahead of it has ended under unclear circumstances.
In the coming days, more details may emerge from the ongoing investigation as friends and family remember Jose for the person he was and grapple with the questions that remain unanswered.
