At this point, police were convinced it belonged to Kia, but were unable to positively conclude this, despite using dental records and the skull reconstruction techniques made available to them. Paul Murdaugh was awaiting trial on a charge of boating under the influence causing death in the crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. In all of the sexual assaults, the victim profile remained largely the same. Get more stories delivered right to your email. A random child abduction that went "sour" - usually a byproduct of a victim choosing to fight back, or attempting to run away. Her father, Richard Logan, was the mayor of a small South Carolina town named Saluda. Thank you! Soon, children began playing outside of the Georgetown apartments once again, Kia's disappearance becoming an outlier to a safe community. Newberry County Memorial Hospital forensic pathologist Dr. Keene Garvin reiterated this finding, stating - after preliminary testing had been conducted - that the skull was likely placed there are the body had decomposed. These tips carried the investigation outside the Greenwood area, with investigators pursuing leads to as far away at California. Malakia Zali Logan, most commonly called by her nickname, Kia, was born on August 1st, 1979. Carolyn Kelley, the apartment/property manager that lived in the apartments with her daughter and granddaughter, had noticed a complete overhaul of the environment. However, theyd waited to pursue their case, as they didnt want to risk activating an interstate agreement between Georgia and South Carolina, which would have required them to have brought Hampton to trial within 180 days of the charges being laid. It was a crime where no sexual assault had taken place, but centered around the abduction of a seven-year old victim in 1995. Despite that, police wouldn't have any real leads to follow up on until October of the next year, 1990. Other paranormal phenomena are also regularly reported here. Earlier that morning, his mother had checked on him before leaving for work. In 1996, the testing of mitochondrial DNA was performed at a genetics lab in North Carolina. When does she have the time, you ask? However, this was also when he stopped cooperating with authorities and recanted all of his prior confessions. Coffee is her best friend and a good book cannot be beat! The indictment against Charles Wade Hampton included crimes such as murder, kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct with a minor, and assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct. It just stops as if she evaporated into the hot southern air of South Carolina. His mother, who lives in New York, hasn't heard anything about the case for a long time. But we can't prove it. This would prove to be one of the only clues found during the course of the investigation. We're requesting anyone with information call our office.". Few details have been gleaned from interviews. However, they did say they would pursue new charges, should new evidence surface. On May 18, 1988, police released a statement to the public, which informed residents that two men were seen in the vicinity of the apartment complex on the afternoon Kia went missing. 8 Infamous Unsolved Mysteries In SC - OnlyInYourState Even though you cant say I understand what youre going through, because I have not lost a child, you have to just be with them, answer the questions they have and be available to them when they need to talk and reach out to you.. At the time of his arrest, he was forty-four years old, and was driving a white 1986 Dodge 600. The families and friends of those slain deserve answers, and Chaudoin said he asks investigators to revisit these open cases every now and then. When her sisters were questioned, only the 6-year-old stated that a man with a 'magic' hat came and took Jessica away. Detectives will re-interview witnesses and relatives of victims to try and find any new leads. Throughout the 30+ year investigation, various leads and suspects would come and go. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. He was a former Department of Transportation employee, who lived in Clarke County, Georgia, and worked at the rest stop at Hard Labor Creek State Park as a maintenance man. Call CrimeStoppers 843-554-1111. Major Sam Riley was quoted as saying: "These leads have carried the investigation outside of the Greenwood area.". She was a small girl, who had been wearing yellow shorts, a yellow-and-white polka-dot shirt, and slip-on shoes on the evening she disappeared. His stepfather was watching him in her absence. Through interviews, police learned two or three men had come over to the house prior to the shooting. "The murder kidnapping and criminal sexual misconduct charges have been dropped. 24 Cause of Death. Both of these generated more leads of possible sightings of Kia Logan and suspects bearing a resemblance of the composite of a man wanted for questioning. It was August 9, 1976, on a deserted road in Sumter County, SC, when a trucker happened upon the scene of the murders. It wasn't until the third or fourth crime that police began to link the crimes together, when the suspect descriptions began to slowly align with one another. The killings also led the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to open a new inquiry into the unsolved death of Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old whose body was found on a rural road in the area in . They were both prepared to pursue the death penalty in the upcoming criminal trial, which they were allowed to for any kidnapping or sexual assault charges when the victim was eleven years old or younger. The results were testing alongside DNA taken from Kia's parents, Bernetta and Richard, and this time, it proved consistent. It was this apartment complex where, on a Sunday evening in the middle of May, everything seemed right with the world. It is reported that a neighbor saw him standing outside by the road with his bicycle as if he were waiting on the bus, but he didn't have school that day. A campus podcast with chilling repercussions. "Maybe he did it, maybe he didn't. The Newberry County Sheriff's Office, along with other law enforcement and volunteer agencies, conducted searches in the area where the skull had been found. His hair was dark blonde, which could vary anywhere between blonde and dark brown. CID Email Anonymous Tip Submission Crime Stoppers. In 1993, the skull was sent to the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC for DNA testing, but the results were inconclusive. James Paul Freund (September 16, 1946 - August 9, 1976) and Pamela Mae Buckley (December 16, 1951 - August 9, 1976), commonly known as the Sumter County Does, Jock Doe and Jane Doe respectively, [5] were two previously unidentified American murder victims found in Sumter County, South Carolina on August 9, 1976. In the weeks since Kia had gone missing, Bernetta struggled to leave the phone for any prolonged period of time. Another description was vague, calling it simply an older model white compact or subcompact with blue interior. Those with information regarding the case can contact the Greenwood County Sheriffs Office at 864-942-8600 or the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at 803-737-9000. All these cases are active. This would come up later in the story, so please keep that in-mind. When they searched his home, they found several photographs of children in underwear, as well as various photos of nude adults - including pictures of Hampton himself. The Unraveling of the Murdaugh Dynasty: Unsolved Murders, Insurance Fraud and Missing Millions Since South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh admitted last week to trying to stage his own murder, the . Throughout the beginning of the search for her daughter, Bernetta begged the kidnapper to show some mercy toward Kia. Hampton plead not guilty almost instantly. We dont close out these cases because theyre so important.. Nothing more is known On a cold and rainy Thursday morning Jeremy Grice mysteriously vanished from his North Augusta home. The Disappearance of Nguyet Thu Wiki Phung, Case Update: Brittanee Drexels Remains Discovered After 13 Years, SuspectCharged, The Disappearances of Tina & BethanySinclair. And, if his father was a physician in Canada, wouldn't he have been looking for them? That's all we've got. It had been nearly five years since the original indictment was filed, accusing him of the abduction and murder of Kia Logan. Police were beginning to become certain that Hampton had simply been lying to them in order to obtain special privileges: such as trips outside of jail, meals, coffee, and cigarettes. I'm thinking in terms of fifty or a hundred thousand dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible a reward made up of contributions from those who really care, in amounts affordable to them parents, concerned citizens and businesses. Greenwood is the type of town you imagine when you think of rural America: a downtown comprised of brick buildings, a railroad track that separates the storefronts from the industrial area, and a large suburban population. As time passed, approximately 13,853 of those murders were solved, leaving the state with approximately 3,868 unsolved murders in South Carolina as of the last website update. Police have deduced that she was killed Greenwood County and her body dumped in Newberry County. Winds light and variable. Greenwood, SC Area Cold Cases | SpotCrime But, let a Carolina or a Clemson sports event take the forefront and emotions bubble over throughout the community. While he had previously confessed to the crime, he recanted, resulting in the rape charge being dropped due to a lack of evidence. This was in 1996, where he plead guilty to having drilled a hole into a womens restroom at a Georgia rest stop and was sentenced to five years. Witnesses said they heard the shooting and one gave a description of a suspect but left before officers could question them further. Then at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, Greenwood police found Ramsey sitting on the steps outside his Thornbrook Court apartment with what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to the head. She had one sister, named Renee, and the three lived in an apartment complex just north of Greenwood, South Carolina. Cold Cases | Charleston, SC - Official Website It was occupied by a white male, thirty-five to forty years of age, slender built, lean or pointed facial features with brownish blond hair with sun streaks.". Renee and their friend decided to stay at the court for a short while longer. The days in which the victims were abducted varied, with three of the crimes happening on a Saturday, a Friday, and a Monday. Riley, a famously tight-lipped officer, stated: "We're treating it strictly as a missing persons report. She didn't want to miss any potential calls from Kia. 1)The only theory in the case is that Charles Wade Hampton is the person who abducted and murder Kia. Coroner IDs man killed in Greenwood shooting, Greenwood police identify suspect in Taggart Avenue slaying, Father of firsts: Man's life is a walk through Black history in Greenwood, Greenwood man gets 23-year sentence in death of 18-month-old, Calhoun Falls man faces federal drug count, PTC Foundation lacing up sneakers for Spring Forward 5K, Pi Day Lecture at the Arts Center of Greenwood, EAA and AMA sponsors Build and Fly project. The message we should be sending far and wide is not one emphasizing our public apathy, but one which loudly reveals that the people of Greenwood County will not sit idly by while our children disappear! Chaudoin said he plans to start a monthly cold case briefing within the next few months, to share information with the public about these cases in the hopes of inspiring tipsters. However, three - which took place in the middle of this crime spree - took place on a Thursday. Police recovered six shell casings and spoke with witnesses who heard the shooting, but didnt see the car the shooter drove by in, according to a report. When it was discovered by her parents that she was gone there was no trace to follow. Use at your own risk. He immediately provided voluntary consent for police to search his vehicle by signing a Waiver of Constitutional Rights to a Search Warrant - a provision he also signed for a search of his home. Just like the details he provided: he knew some information about these locales, but not all of the minute details. They're going to search for other skeletal remains in identification.". It seems that there may be been two suspects who were trying to rob the bank. Police did not share the part of town in which the shooting happened. When it was finally time for Hampton to be released, he was immediately re-arrested for a warrant investigators had planned. It is what life is made of. Police would find out what happened to this little girl over the years, but it would take time, advancements in DNA technology, and the persistence of dedicated investigators. The man was covered in blood, and Perez made the shape of a gun with his hand to show police that he and the other man had been shot. He had been in police custody, and when questioned, he began confessing to the crimes. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He died later at the hospital. A forensic anthropologist with the University of South Carolina examined the skull and found it belonged to an African American child between the ages of 6 and 8. Between the 2002 indictment and this, he had accrued nearly five years of time served. Police interviewed a few of Paynes friends and coworkers but didnt learn much. Low 44F. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Speaking about the indictment, longtime Greenwood County Sheriff Sam Riley stated: "There was no relationship between him and Kia. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Richard Martin Age. They were still investigating new avenues, but none of them led anywhere. Unfortunately, none came, and the next day, they had to begin investigating Kia's disappearance in earnest. This not being enough, the skull would later be sent to an FBI lab in 1998. It happened around 9:15 p.m. at a home. Nor am I criticizing those who have helped so far or those concerned citizens who have contributed to the present approximately $3000 reward. Is it twisted thinking? Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Anyone with information on any of these shootings is urged to contact police by calling 864-942-8407, sending them a message through the departments Facebook page, or through the anonymous online tip form at cityofgreenwoodsc.com/departments/police/submit-an-anonymous-tip. Share your news tips and story ideas with us. I have to ask that if you or someone you know knows anything about any one of these cases, please contact your local police department as soon as possible. You can also contact the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at (803) 737-9000. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. It is the yin and yang; balance in all things. They all lived in housing close to the highway in-question, and they were all abducted from one location and led to another. It began to seem to police like he was making things up as he went along, but they were constantly reminded by the facts that something was amiss. Choose wisely! With these two most recent homicides, the number of unsolved slayings in recent years for Greenwood County climbs to four. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, with credit for time served and good behaviour. Unless new evidence emerges, our participation is over.". (LogOut/ To this day, the case remains open and unsolved. Jump to a detailed profile, search site with google or try advanced search. Malakia Logan | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki | Fandom Chaudoin provided the investigative reports detailing these open homicide investigations: A 911 caller found Parker lying on his bedroom floor at about 8:30 p.m. Nov. 2, 2006 on Leonard Street. You hate to have any murders, but I think a 91% solve rate is probably one of the highest ones out there, especially for a department our size and with that number of them, he said. South Carolina Crime Stoppers View Source Square with arrow pointing upper right. Who was the man who found them? Can't we show at least as much concern for the fate of a child? They wanted to keep their options option, should more evidence be found against him, so they didn't want him to go free and then lose any chance at a prosecutor under double jeopardy laws. Just a couple of blocks from this airport are a number of apartment complexes - all of which are a few miles out from downtown Greenwood. Freeman was shot at about 10 p.m. July 15, 2018 at a Sumter Street residence. South Carolina's unsolved mysteries - WYFF From video footage they have been able to piece together that the car was a red Oldsmobile Alero made between 1999 and 2003. However, Kia lived with her mother, Bernetta Logan Baylor, who was a teacher at a nearby middle school. Lucas Vega is obsessed with the death of Candace Swa. Hampton openly confessed to committing several of the abductions and willingly provided details of the accompanying assaults, with most details matching up with what the victims had provided. It was a Sunday in Greenwood, South Carolina - a small town roughly an hour north of Augusta, Georgia and about an hour-and-a-half west of Columbia, South Carolina. They had no evidence that he had actually committed the crime, but they had his confession on-record, and at the very least, he had lied to investigators and caused them to waste valuable time by pursuing him as the suspect. Not only were Georgia and South Carolina preparing cases against him, but North Carolina and Florida were investigating him for similar child abductions and sexual assaults in their states. Cold cases isnt the term Greenwood Police Chief T.J. Chaudoin likes to use for his departments unsolved homicides. But now a parent's worst fear was beginning to creep into their bones the realization that she had not been okay, that something HAD happened to her. After 11'000 days, 30 years and 29 of those years on death row, Edward Lee Elmore was freed in 2012. Low 44F. When you get a case like, for example, in 2006 if we havent developed any suspects then I think we need to release a little more information and try to bring a little more to the board and see if we get some more probability of striking someones memory.. The crime spree began in July 1995 and carried on until August of 1996. Police noted that he had a snake tattoo on his upper arm, as well as his initials - C.H. The Unraveling of the Murdaugh Dynasty: Unsolved Murders - WSJ Its not just about arresting a suspect, Chaudoin said, its about building a case the states prosecutors can get a conviction with. He was more than willing to continue talking, even answering questions about his prior sexual assault conviction from 1981. Choose wisely! Theyre experiencing the most horrific thing thats probably ever happened to them in their life, Chaudoin said. Freeman died at the hospital while being treated for his injuries. It's a town of roughly 20,000 people - a population level that hasn't really changed in over thirty years. Prosecutors, once-confident that the case against him was looking rock-solid, were now worried about not having enough evidence against him. I had dreams that maybe she's been in California or somewhere all this time.". Those early tests were inconclusive, relying on DNA found in the skull itself in very primitive ways. Between July 1995 and August 1996, authorities in Georgia and South Carolina were investigating a string of abductions and sexual assaults of young Black children along a specific state highway. You will receive your first email soon. However, the criminal trial would never come to be. South Carolina Department of Social Services; South Carolina Dept Health & Environmental Control; . Remember, this is before the trial of OJ Simpson, so DNA testing was very much in its infancy. Greenwood city's six unsolved homicides stay a police priority, By DAMIAN DOMINGUEZ The shooting on Sumter Street happened at 8:45 p.m. May 22, and while a car and two apartments were damaged, no one was injured. He also had scars along his right arm and stomach, which matched up with what one of the younger victims had described. About two weeks earlier, Cody Hawkins was shot in an apparent drive-by shooting May 19 on Pearl Street, close to Osborne Avenue. Crime rate in Greenwood, SC - City-Data It hasn't been updated with any of his current information. In the case of Malik Padgetts slaying at a party in 2013 on Tabor Street, more than 100 people were at the scene but no witness was able to identify a suspect. In an idling SUV, Sherwin Gittens was found dead by police. When the skull was discovered in 1990, it proved a lone clue in a vast sea of nothingness. As of publishing, there have not been any new updates in relation to Kias disappearance and murder, nor about the investigation into it. We won't share it with anyone else. The lone exception was a five-year old girl with tan, olive-colored skin who had dark feaures. Trending pages Kari Lynn Nixon Dana Satterfield Superbike Motorsports Murders Jessica Gutierrez Michele Whitaker At least four of the six could easily be solved if someone would step up and give us better info because they know.. After a few days, the Director of Greenwoods Emergency Preparedness said the group would be suspending their involvement in the search and would wait for law enforcement to request further assistance before getting involved again. More than 20 shell casings of three different calibers were found in the road, along with a .45-caliber handgun in a mulch pile near where Hawkins was shot. Create a password that only you will remember. Police found him sitting on steps beside the sidewalk, bleeding from his head; an officer couldnt find his pulse. That day - Monday, May 16th - approximately seventy-five people helped conduct a search around the apartment complex. Unsolved Murdaugh Murders Expose Years of South Carolina Mysteries Alex Murdaugh, the powerful lawyer who asked a handyman to kill him, had a spectacular fall from grace. A little after nine o'clock that evening, Kia was reported missing to the Greenwood County Sheriff's Department. As police tried to pinpoint the motive for Hampton's confessions, the forensic analysis they were hoping to rely on brought back an intriguing proposition. The next day, a retired pediatrician named Casper E. Wiggins wrote a heartfelt editorial in the Index Journal, which read as follows: " A child is missing, and apart from the few days immediately after her kidnapping, the public outcry has been next to nothing. Sadly, if we forget then so do others and no one should be forgotten. Early on in questioning, Charles admitted that he often changed his hair color. On October 1, 1990, Malakia's remains were found in a wooded area on U.S. Forest Service property in Newberry County. But Mr. Murdaugh, part of a prominent family of South Carolina lawyers, has denied any involvement in the unsolved killings . Login; . Earlier in the day, they had been aided by helicopters provided by SLED - the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, a statewide police agency. Invalid password or account does not exist. Sylvia Holtzclaw was running the bank alone on Friday, May 16, 2003, in Greer, SC. Victims advocates play an important role in communicating with the families of people killed, and officers work to be up-front and communicate often with the families. There were approximately 17,721 homicides in South Carolina between 1980 and 2019, according to the Project: Cold Case website for unsolved homicide statistics.
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