Columbia, Nov 6 (IANS): Authorities have found a body on the South Carolina property where a missing woman was discovered "chained up like a dog", according to officials.

The Spartanburg County sheriff, Chuck Wright, said at a news conference that a body had been found in a shallow grave, but he gave no additional details, The New York Times reported.

Investigators had been sweeping the 100-acre woods and fields with cadaver dogs in a search for other victims after finding the woman, Kala V. Brown, inside the storage container on the property about 20 miles east of Greenville, South Carolina.

Deputies heard Brown banging from inside the container, which was 30 feet long, 15 feet wide and 10 to 12 feet high, television station WYFF reported. Brown, 30, disappeared with her boyfriend, Charles D. Carver, 32, in August.

Brown told the authorities after she was rescued that there might be four people buried on the property, the sheriff said. "I want you to keep the families in your prayers," he said. "This is super bad."

The sheriff added that missing persons' cases were being reopened in light of the discovery on Friday.

Todd C. Kohlhepp, 45, owner of the property and a registered sex offender, has been charged with Brown's kidnapping. At a hearing on Friday afternoon at which the defendant was denied bond, Solicitor Barry Barnette said that Brown had told investigators she witnessed Kohlhepp shooting Carver.

Sheriff Wright said the authorities were also looking for clues online to shed light on what he said had not been a "random act" of kidnapping.

The case took a strange turn when friends and family noticed the missing couple's Facebook accounts suddenly becoming active, updating with mysterious posts that they did not believe had been written by the couple, according to The Daily Beast.

On Friday, Sheriff Wright told reporters that investigators were trying to figure out whether the suspect or another person had published the posts.