Former WU employee died Thursday

By Claire Byun

A former Winthrop employee facing charges of breach of trust died Thursday morning, at the age of 56.

Dave Rentschler, former facilities management worker, died at Piedmont Medical Center, according to an obituary.

In September of this year, Rentschler was arrested on charges of breach of trust over $5000, according to a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) arrest warrant.

Since early July, SLED has investigated Rentschler for misallocating proceeds raised from the sale of scrap metal. Winthrop Police also assisted in the investigation.

After a review of about three years worth of business records, Winthrop Assistant Police Chief Ken Scoggins and SLED found Rentschler was the ”seller of much of this property,” and the cash proceeds were “paid to the delivery person in each case,” according to the police report.

The police report indicated the scrap metal was sold at Smith Metal and Iron on Glen Hope Road in Rock Hill.

Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel will announce arrangements for Rentschler.