COLUMBIA (AP) -- A high-ranking Columbia police officer fired for her handling of the investigation of a missing lobbyist that turned out to be a suicide says she was unjustly fired.

Isa Greene told reporters Tuesday that she was on vacation during the first two days South Carolina Hospitality Association

Director Tom Sponseller was missing. She says critical clues that could have helped find him quicker were missed, including searching Sponseller's desk where a suicide note was found more than a week later.

Greene says she was made a scapegoat for the botched investigation. Sponseller's body was found 10 days after he went missing in a locked room in the parking garage at his office.

Columbia police officials didn't immediately respond to Greene's allegations.

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