Updated
Updated · lexingtonscsheriff.com · Jul 31
Lexington County Deputy Jillian Olson, 29, Dies During Lake Murray Dive Team Training
Updated
Updated · lexingtonscsheriff.com · Jul 31

Lexington County Deputy Jillian Olson, 29, Dies During Lake Murray Dive Team Training

3 articles · Updated · lexingtonscsheriff.com · Jul 31

Summary

  • Jillian Olson, 29, died Thursday during an underwater training session with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department dive team on Lake Murray.
  • South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources is leading the investigation, assisted by SLED, while the Lexington County Coroner’s Office works to determine her cause and manner of death.
  • Olson joined the sheriff’s department in 2021, became a master deputy in the Warrant Division in 2025 and had served on the dive team since 2024.
  • Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said Olson was widely recognized for initiative and service, including a 2023 tactical operations support award and a 2026 judicial services deputy honor.

Insights

What went wrong in the depths of Lake Murray to turn a routine police dive training into a fatal tragedy?
How did a highly decorated master deputy lose her life during an exercise designed to ensure her safety?