Man’s Alleged Confession After Surviving Self-Inflicted Gunshot To The Head Leads To Discovery Of Two Dead Woman

An attempted suicide led to the discovery of two dead women in South Carolina.

Christian Hulburt, 41, shot himself in the head last week and survived. He then allegedly confessed to murdering one of the two victims and burying the body and assisting Jonathan Galligan, 39, in burying another woman, according to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.

The bodies of 27-year-old Christin Renee Bunner and 40-year-old Melissa Fairlee Rhymer were discovered on the property of a Spartanburg home Friday.

That led to the arrest of both Hulburt and Galligan.

Galligan is charged with Bunner's murder, while Hulburt is charged with murdering Rhymer. Both are also charged with accessory after the fact for the other's alleged killing. In addition, Hulburt is charged with unlawful possession of a pistol by a convicted felon. Both men are jailed without bail following a Saturday hearing. It's unclear if they have lawyers who could comment for them.

Officers were called to a local towing service Wednesday concerning a disturbance. Hulburt, who lives on the property, wouldn't follow deputies' commands, took out a gun and shot himself in the head. Wounded, he called deputies to his hospital bed Thursday and told them about Bunner's death, saying he helped bury the woman in the yard at Galligan's house. Hulburt later confessed that he'd killed a second woman and buried her at the house, where Galligan lived at one time.

Deputies couldn't find the bodies Thursday, but returned with cadaver dogs Friday. Authorities said the remains were found in graves that began about 18 inches below the ground.

Autopsies are now scheduled on the bodies of both victims. A motive for the murders has not yet been released.

The Associated Press has contributed to this report.