Body of ‘National treasure’ Daufuskie Island man found Tuesday morning, coroner confirms

*The above video is our previous coverage

DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - [UPDATE 2/24/2026] The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office confirmed that the body pulled from the water Tuesday was 63-year-old Richard Phelps.

A friend of Richard Phelps also told WTOC they found a body in Houlihan River believing it was Phelps, between 9:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

According to the friend, the body was found in the Wells Cut area and the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office was seen on the scene retrieving the body from the water.

“The cause of death is pending autopsy,” the coroner’s office confirmed. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office remains the investigating agency.

A GoFundMe has been posted to help support the Phelps family during this crisis.

[ORIGINAL STORY] The alarm bells rang on Friday when Richard “Dickie” Phelps didn’t come home.

What started as concern has blossomed into a full-scale search involving multiple teams, boats, and a community bound together by the memory of one extraordinary man.

Who is Dickie Phelps?

To those who knew him, Dickie wasn’t just another resident of Daufuskie Island.

After more than 30 years of calling this place home, he had become an integral part of the community’s fabric.

A former Marine with a larger-than-life personality, Phelps was the kind of person who crossed all boundaries. From friendships with celebrities to deep connections with the island’s poorest residents, he saw no difference—everyone was family to him.

“He crossed all the bridges,” Friend of Phelps, James Fifield said. “From friends of Jon Cougar Mellencamp to the poorest person on this island, he was family.”

For the people of Daufuskie, Dickie wasn’t just a friend—he was their glue, the connective tissue that held their community together.

The Search Begins

Thursday night, Phelps vanished. By Friday morning, when he didn’t return, friends and neighbors knew something was wrong.

Since then, multiple search parties have fanned out across the island and surrounding waters, but their efforts have been limited due to the severe weather conditions seen late Friday through the weekend.

The only clues left behind: Phelps’ golf cart, abandoned near a public boat dock.

His beloved dog, Chance, was found in the same location—a loyal companion waiting for a master who hasn’t returned.

“We’re Not Giving Up”

Despite days of searching with no sign of Dickie, the determination hasn’t wavered. His friends refuse to accept defeat.

“We’re not going give up looking for Dickie, that’s not gonna happen,” Fiefield said. “We’re going to bring that man home.”

Fifield, a close friend of Phelps, captured the sentiment perfectly when he described the search effort:

“It’s a needle in a haystack. For us, that needle is precious, that’s our national treasure.”

A Desperate Call for Help

As the search enters its next phase, the community is putting out an urgent plea. They need more than determination—they need resources and manpower.

“We need help. We are asking for assets, and just like this community that Dickie was the glue, we are looking for you to help bring our friend home,” the community has appealed.

What they’re asking for:

• Boats equipped with sonar
• People are willing to search shorelines
• Any assets or resources that could aid in the search

This isn’t just about finding one man—it’s about bringing closure to a family and honoring someone who meant so much to so many.

Plans are already underway for search efforts to continue on Tuesday and beyond.

By boat, friends of Phelps ask that if you are coming from Georgia, you start scanning at Fields Cut, which is on the border between Georgia and South Carolina, before eventually meeting the search party at Beaufort County Boat Dock on Daufuskie at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

If you are coming from the north, they ask that you start scanning at the Calibogue Sound, which separates Daufuskie from Hilton Head.

Phelps’ friends are also collecting donations for the family through this trying time.

They held a fundraiser at a restaurant on Monday night and are setting up other fundraising methods.

When those fundraisers become available, we will let you know.