unsolved murders in spartanburg, sc

Investigators combed the house and surrounding area, looking for clues. Criminal justice officials say one reason fewer cases nationwide are being solved is because of an increase in drug-related and gang-related murders. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Missing Persons my Neighborhood alarm registration File a report 2023 Spartanburg Sheriff. Meanwhile, 28 years after the Clifton triple-murder, some people who were initiallyinterviewed by the Herald-Journal have died, and others could not be reached for comment. The fire was contained in the roof, which fell in. for Employment of Handicapped). Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Mary Johnson, 77; her husband, Thomas Johnson, 81; and her son David Johnson, 43, were all found stabbed to death at their home at 270 Cedar St. in Clifton on Jan. 9, 1993.On Friday, Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright held a news conference to discuss the case and announced a reward. 21-year-old James Byrd, of Spartanburg, has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, deputies said. There have been four decks produced. White Sr. Blvd. 2. THAT NUMBER IS LISTED ON Y. Wright said the killer was neighbor Roger Wayne Switzer, who died of a heart attack in 2008. This case was ruled as a justifiable homicide. In 1990, sadly, her remains were found by a deer hunter. She was found not guilty in 2015. She had overcome the adversities she had dealt with her whole life, Gary said. Authorities chase down that and multiple other leads while continuing to hunt for the man in their sketch. Save Article. "They were just good people. "And they pulled me in a room and shut the door. The killer, meanwhile, hid in plain sight for years. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Her contact number is 864-503-4556, and her email address is dlestage@spartanburgcounty.org. When the victim in a homicide is married, those are standard questions. In fact, the second test confirmed that the father of Melissa's child was actually Brian Lucas, the man whose body was found just a few feet away from Scott's. The problem, law enforcement officials said, is with time, witnesses die, move away and cease to cooperate, and memories fade. He searches through the notes of other investigators who have worked the cases and he tries to think of other ways to get evidence tested. Bradshaws body was found in her burned home on the morning of June 3, 2007. In 1997, four and a half years after the murders, Coffey announced that Spartanburg Public Safety Director Tony Fisher created a special unit to study old homicide cases. On the morning of Nov. 6, 2003, someone walked into a motorcycle dealership called Superbike Motorsports in the small town of Chesnee, South Carolina, and shot the owner, his mother and two employees in the head. Seven minutes, four lives, one gun. Once on scene, officers were informed by witnesses that the victim, Leonard Lee Lyles III, was standing near the roadwhen he was shot. "The sheriff's office contacted one of the last customers who left the store that day," said reporter Daniel Gross. Each Internet browser has a different method of accessing these keys: Please note: Internet Explorer users may also need to hit the enter key to activate a link. And of course, we have our legendary tale of the "swamp man." Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Bradshaws estranged husband and her boyfriend have been cleared. In Spartanburg you have a 1 in 13 chance of becoming a victim of crime. [Spartanburg City] On February 9, 2010, Sharon Elaine Bryant (B/F - 50) was found murdered at her home, 547 S. Center Street, Spartanburg, SC. THE REWARD POSTER WILL START RUNNING TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. Days after the brutal killing, Vick, then 17, threatened his life, Pace said, so he kept his mouth shut. Get Alerts Map; Browse By State; Submit a Crime Tip Square with arrow pointing upper right. 5C Albert Adams, known as "New York" in the Greenline community, was shot and killed on the front porch of his apartment. More than a year after the shootings, sometime after the birth of Melissa Ponder's son, Scotty Junior, Melissa Ponder was summoned to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Department. Police then talkedto Danas husband, Mike, who downplayed stories that the couples marriage was in trouble. "An electronic billboard about the case and the new reward is also now up next to the Sub Station on East Main Street in Spartanburg. Two teenagers, Joshua. But Wright is a person of interest they'll never get the chance to question. The four-day trial began in November 2006. In some of the cases, detectives think they know who did it, but dont have enough evidence to make an arrest and successfully prosecute the case in court, Gary said. With such an extreme act of violence carried out in broad daylight, it's not long before authorities receive their first solid tip. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Travis Keys was stabbed to death at about 8:50 p.m. outside the Rug Mill Deli, in the Jackson Street strip mall in Freehold Borough, on Feb. 10, 2012. In 2009, Tom Lucas, who was President of Spartanburg Crime Stoppers at the time, and father of Brian Lucas, who was murdered along with 3 co-workers in 2003, brought the idea of Unsolved Homicide and Missing Persons playing cards into SC. Could these gruesome murders be connected to an eerily similar triple homicide that happened just five months before in a neighboring town? The only surviving son was Keith Johnson, who declined to be interviewed by a reporter the day after the gruesome discovery. Kohlhepp was was denied bond Sunday after investigators say he confessed to an unsolved quadruple murder that happened 13 years ago. DNA has enabled police to solve cases that are decades old. After the first day or two, it gets more difficult, Gary said. Lori Reaves Richardson, Charleston/Columbia, SC vtengr4047/Flickr The Spartanburg County sheriff's office has . But we do need help.. According to the witness, that was only moments before the shooting. Only one person in Bradshaws life has a fire background and that person is not being 100 percent cooperative with investigators, Gary said. New evidence from a triple homicide in Spartanburg County in 1993 is now being analyzed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. "They labeled Brian as Beverly's son based on DNA, but clearly Scott is Beverly's son," said reporter Daniel Gross. A friend of Darrell Broussard, one of the unsolved murder . We Connect. SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Thursday, June 3rd, marked the 14th anniversary of a Spartanburg County womans murder. "I don't want to talk negative about anybody that got murdered, but Chris was supposed to go to court the next Monday," said Terry Guy, Scott Ponder's stepfather. I cant say he didnt do it by any means, the investigator said. Mary Johnson, 77; her husband, Thomas Johnson, 81; and her son David Johnson, 43, were found stabbed to death in 1993. Man Found Deceased on Collins Ave. April 17, 1998 Submit a Tip David Moore described the Clifton community as "close-knit people. A mother. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/us/16land.html?emc=eta1, http://www.crimeinfo.net/CSW/688/Pictures/SC_Face.PDF. Police hurried to the salon, where they found a woman who appeared to have been strangled with a duffel bag strap and was left hanging from a hot water heater. Seven minutes later Noel stumbled upon four people murdered in cold blood. On Jan. 15, officers responded to 688 Asheville Highway in reference to a shooting. The charges were upgraded later. "It was a rather warm day and he was looking at a motorcycle that he acted like he never had any motorcycle experience.". before returning with a guilty verdict ofall counts:murder, criminal sexual conduct, and kidnapping. Internet Explorer on a PC use ALT+Accesskey, Firefox and Safari on Apple or Linux use CTRL+Accesskey. But who knows, maybe in time they'll solve it.". "I was called in to the sheriff's department one afternoon, and I'd been called in to the sheriff's department so many times, so I just thought it was another day like that, so I went down there," said Melissa. Not long after their sketch was released, an even more promising lead comes in from the last person to see the victims alive. Sheriff Chuck Wright The Sheriff's Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer Missing front bumper strip and turn signal Her son was only 7 years old when she died. (Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office) Anyone . Police identified the couple, though officially they have only been treated as witnesses, and have never been connected to the crime. And was someone willing to kill because of it? I cant say he did it. But some of the comments he made indicated he may have known Bradshaw was inside, the investigator said. Spartanburg is safer than 1% of the cities in the United States. The victim was shot several times in his legs and upper body. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, USC defeats Georgia 61-55 to secure first SEC home, Trapped Californians rescued from snow, helped by, NC schools see spike in reported violence numbers, Chase Elliott out of NASCAR indefinitely after tibia, Top seeded USC cruises past Ole Miss 80-51 to reach, Furman uses a 32-6 second half run to defeat Mercer, Hornung hits go-ahead 3-run HR in 7th to lead #23, CCES rolls past Scotts Branch 63-41 to win 1A Boys, The Foreign Landers Perform on Your Carolina, NorthStar Financial Wants you to be Ready for Retirement. But as similarly brutal as both murder scenes were, they don't believe the two crimes are connected. Its possible this person just saw the fire and it captured his attention. Another year, and it seems like it was an eternity, Maxine Kennedy said. Thats where the investigation into the brutal murder stayed for a decade. Earlier this month, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt.. Why didnt you come and do it to me, Kennedy said. You put them in your heart and hold them there, and you know what kind of person she was, and you hold on to your memories and you never let them go, she said. If you have any information about the murder of this family, call the Anderson County Sheriff's Office at (864) 260-4400 or call the Anderson Area Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. On April 26, 1970, 11-year-old Terrence "Terry" Bowers was found deceased, suffering from multiple stab wounds while on a Boy Scout camping trip. On Cold Justice, Kelly Siegler and Yolanda McClary travel to South Carolina to investigate the 28-year-old unsolved double homicide of Eric and Doris Ferguson. The two masked killers used a handcart to wheel the store safe out of the building and fled in Reese's car. Sheriff Chuck Wright "We've tried to be as open as we can with them, but there are just things we cannot discuss with them to maintain the integrity of the case," Coffey told the Herald-Journal in 1993. Here is a brief look at each homicide case in 2021, as provided by the Spartanburg Police Department: On Jan. 15, officers responded to 688 Asheville Highway in reference to a shooting. They got into a fight with people in another car. Detectives turned their attention to a witness report ofseeing a white and blue vehicle in the area that raised a red flag. He was transported to the hospital where he died later. This shooting was ruled as a justifiable homicide. Hes gone to prisons to talk to people who may have information. UPDATE Nov. 5: The Spartanburg County sheriff said Todd Kohlhepp, a sex offender accused of chaining up an Anderson woman and slaying her boyfriend, reportedly confessed to authorities that he is responsible for the murder of four victims in a motorsports store more than a decade ago. "There was a red car that was seen driving to the bank on the frontage road at about 1:24 p.m.," said Greer Police Captain Matt Hamby. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. In the days, weeks and months that followed, no motive could be determined. Twenty-eight years later, the triple homicide remains unsolved, among 46 cases in Spartanburg County dating back to 1970. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office at (864) 503-4600 or Senior Investigator Diane Lestage at (864) 503-4556 or dlestage@spartanburgcounty.org . Their bodies were out here out front of the store," said Daniel Gross, a crime reporter for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. The $25,000 reward is only being offered for one year. (and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act (and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. Prior to police arrival, the homeowner and others asked the unknown male to leave the property a second time. At the time, Bradshaw was working at the Peach Blossom Diner nearby. On Dec. 6, officers responded to 701 Saxon Ave., the Opportunity Center, in reference to a person being struck in the head with an object. "At that point in time the lead detective said to me 'We now have two DNA tests that show that he's not the father of your baby,'" said Melissa. Spartanburg Police Department indicates eight homicides resulting in 11 deaths in 2021 have been solved, according to Police Maj. Art Littlejohn. Beverly, also in the back, appears to have been ambushed while stepping out of the bathroom. Michael Hinson was an 11th grade baseball player at Dorman High. Thats not my baby. Owner Scott Ponder, Ponder's mother Beverly Guy, service manager Brian Lucas and mechanic Chris Sherbert were all found fatally shot on November 6, 2003. Internet Explorer on a PC use ALT+Accesskey, Firefox and Safari on Apple or Linux use CTRL+Accesskey. They scoured Roebuck for the vehicle and turned up a possible match: Mary Ann Vick, one of Dana's customers, had a similar car. Herald-Journal 0:06 1:07 Spartanburg Police Department indicates eight homicides resulting in 11 deaths in 2021 have been solved, according to Police Maj. Art Littlejohn. Greenville Journal. SC Unsolved Homicide Playing Cards. A decade after the murder, they learned that Vicks DNA matched the rape kit evidence. When they opened the door, they discovered Johnson, 77, her husband Thomas, 81, and their 43-year-old son, David, dead from multiple stabbings. She was working as a waitress at the Peach Blossom restaurant and taking classes at Spartanburg Community College. Jonathan Vick, the son of Mary Ann Vick, planned to visit Dana the night she died, according to Pace. The victims of the so-called "Whitechapel Murders" Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly all had their throats slashed, and most of them had. Fisher said recent developments in DNA testing and the use of lasers to lift fingerprints Johnson could help solve old crimes. On July 11, officers responded to Concord Avenue and Norris Street in reference to a shooting. Bob Montgomery, Herald-Journal. Was Wright the perpetrator of the Blue Ridge Bank murders, and could he have also gunned down four people at Superbike Motorsports just five months later? "We continue to receive tips through social media. The witness ran for help and asked people in a nearby house to call 911. "I said 'We worked hard for that baby, we had to have medical procedures to have this baby, I know he's the father of my baby,'" said Melissa. There have been four decks produced. THE $10,000 WILL GO TO ANYONE WITH INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO AN ARREST. I said to them, 'You no longer have the liberty to talk to me anymore. Chris was the first one shot.". 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Twenty-eight years later, the triple homicide remains unsolved, among 46 cases in Spartanburg County dating back to 1970. The whole scene was shocking, period," said Greer Police Lt. Eric Pressley. The violence of the attack made it seem personal, Rick Gregory, a Spartanburg County Solicitors Office investigator,told In Ice Cold Blood, airing Sundays at 7/6c on Oxygen. They had lived in the five-room mill village house for about 35 years, and had three sons. But after supplying a solid alibi and passing a polygraph test, he was cleared as a suspect. "They won't tell us nothing," Elizabeth Johnson in April 1993 said of investigators. In 1963, the homicide clearance rate nationwide was 91 percent. Jonathan Vick, the son of Mary Ann Vick, planned to visit Dana the night she died, according to Pace. This case is unsolved. This incident has been ruled as a justifiable homicide. Can you bring your vape pen or e-cigarette on a plane? Days after the brutal killing, Vick, then 17, threatened his life, Pace said, so he kept his mouth shut. The crime became known as "The Superbike Murders" and it seemed as senseless as it was cold-blooded. Isaiah Odom - DC# 23-17-003163 . Once on scene, officers discovered several people at the location and a male, Daniel Pilgram, lying on the front porch suffering from gunshot wounds. Was one of the most violent murders in South Carolina history the result of a love triangle gone wrong? While the city with highest number of murders period? June 7, 2021: Alex Murdaugh, 53, calls 911 and reports he found his wife Margaret, 52, and son Paul, then 22, shot dead outside of their home in Islandton, a small community about an hour north of. However, Alex Murdaugh, who made the 911. He said the family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the prosecution of the person responsible for this crime. I know there are people out there who know about these cases.. And right now I'm heading over to his office to have his body exhumed so I can have a DNA test done.'". On Sept. 12, Hinson was riding around with some others in a car. Delta 88. Authorities, after all, had already connected Little to the September 1978 murder of 19-year . Is your conscious turned off?. The victim, Timothy Pitts, fell to the ground striking his head on the sidewalk. Featuring cold cases throughout the state of SC. But therewere also four incidents involving five deaths resulting from gunshots and blunt traumathat have not been solved. Spartanburg, SC 29303. At this time, police can't say for sure in either case. They recall seeing a man acting strangely. 8045 Howard St. Spartanburg, SC 29303 Spartanburg Sheriff Unsolved Homicides These cases are still open and are being investigated by detectives from the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. Key findings. "What he said was that they compared my husband's DNA to his mother's DNA, which was all gathered at the crime scene, and they did not match up," said Melissa. But in 2005, the case broke wide open, thanks to a chance encounter between Danas then-18-year-old daughterand Michael Pace, a local resident whod harbored a dark secret foryears. It might take luck to solve some, but luck can be generated by hard work, Gary said. In 2021, only . Police then talkedto Danas husband, Mike, who downplayed stories that the couples marriage was in trouble. Neighbors describe tense Spartanburg standoff scene near Cleveland Park. New evidence in Spartanburg County triple homicide from 1993 now being analyzed, sheriff says, AMARI SHOULD CALL 1.91 IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, A FAMILY IS OFFERING $10,000 IN A COLD CASE THAT IS 29 YEARS OLD. 27 Comments. "I can say they all died within a short period of time of each other and that they were stabbed with a knife," he said at the time. The Richland County Cold Case Squad was formed to provide closure to family members of those who have been murdered and hold offenders accountable for what they have done. But when it came to mechanic Chris Sherbert, one of the newest employees at Superbikes Motorsports, rumors of a possible drug connection began to swirl. The victim, who had bruises on her body, was suspended an inch or so above the floor. The number of unsolved homicides in the United States is increasing. Could he have committed the crime or hired someone else to carry it out? Unsolved: On Nov. 16, officers responded to 101 E. Wood St. in reference to a person suffering from an assault. Around 6:30 PM, Diane Harris, a door-to-door saleswoman, stopped by the salon. Sheriff Chuck Wright told the media human remains were uncovered in one of the two places that Kohlhepp pointed out as grave sites. Two of the victims, Travoiris Antoine Gentry and Jaquante Donnell Burris, died later. "[Scott's wife] Melissa was newly pregnant, and after the baby was born they did do a DNA test on a diaper they took from there," said Lorraine. Spartanburg Police Department indicates eight homicides resulting in 11deaths in 2021 have been solved, according to Police Maj. Art Littlejohn. In partnership with Since 2003, the killings of four people at a motorcycle shop in Chesnee, S.C., had remained unsolved. Mary Johnson, 77; her husband, Thomas . Her death is still unsolved, and 7 News spoke with her family about why they need your help. The male was suffering from a gunshot wound to his neck. Map Browse By State. (The US average is 22.7) Spartanburg property crime is 90.2. In all of the unsolved homicide cases, Gary has re-interviewed witnesses. The suspect was identified as an occupant of the home and lived with the victim (possibly a roommate). Then on June 3, 2007, someone killed her and set the house on fire to try to cover up the crime. Cold Case deck cards produced in 2015 for distribution in the SC Department of Corrections. After the fire was called in, neighbors gathered outside. But after several months, the investigation stalls. The unknown vehicle was believed to be a blue 1986 - 1989 Oldsmobile The driver of the motorcycle was killed and a female passenger was severely injured. On July 21, the body of Alonzo Brooks whose . To learn more about the case, watch In Ice Cold Blood, airing Sundays at 7/6c on Oxygen, or stream episodes at Oxygen.com. Columbia with 29. "Brian Lucas and Scott Ponder were both found dead. Dana was discovered partially naked, and detectives suspected that there had been a sexual assault. South Carolina Crime Stoppers View Source Square with arrow pointing upper right. Responding at that time, Coffey confirmed that the Johnsons were interviewed at length. He said investigators had some suspects, but they lacked evidence linking anyone to the crime. New evidence from a triple homicide in Spartanburg County in 1993 is now being analyzed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. "We are continuing to work on the unsolved homicides, and as always we are seeking information from the public," he said. At around 6:30PM on July 31, 1995, she . Witnesses said the man tried to stop anybody from going into the house. Thats how reprehensible we think you are.. Missing front bumper strip and turn signal Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. WITH THE ADVANCEMENT OF ADN TECHNOLOGY, DEPUTIES SAY THEY HAVE EVIDENCE BEING EXAMINEDY B SLED THAT WILL GIVE NEW INFORMATION ON THIS CASE. Nothing was missing and there was no evidence of a sexual assault, he said. The victim, who had bruises on her body, was suspended an inch or so above the floor. He may have wanted to leave because he had warrants on him. Hes now 21 and, still, no one has been arrested for his mothers murder. The most notorious unsolved murder in our state's fraught history went down in Darlington County in the 4th Judicial District of South Carolina in the dark of April 3, 1952. Kennedy is hopeful this will help, as she wants her family to finally have some peace. The Greenville County Sheriff's Office was called inbecause the Spartanburg Police Department, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, and the S.C. Law Enforcement Division were all involved in the case. Quadrupel Murders in Chesnee, SC 11/6/2003 A very Hot Case, need your help. Why her? 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. In other cases, they may no longer be afraid the killer will come after them. In 2009, Tom Lucas, who was President of Spartanburg Crime Stoppers at the time, and father of Brian Lucas, who was murdered along with 3 co-workers in 2003, brought the idea of Unsolved Homicide and Missing Persons playing cards into SC. Evidence was sent to the lab for analysis. The more time that passes after the murder, the less likely the case will be solved. I don't have a bit of faith in them. You dont get over it, she told WSPA.com. Concerned, the hairdresser called Johnson's daughter-in-law, and the two went to her two-story Clifton home on Cedar Street to check on her. "Strangely enough Brian was looking at a home without any knowledge from his wife," said Lorraine Lucas. Privacy Policy | "The only reasonable explanation here would be that I got the wrong baby. with the man for just a second. They never would let us see her, because they said it would be too hard, Kennedy said. All Rights Reserved. for Employment of Handicapped). Detectives turned their attention to a witness report ofseeing a white and blue vehicle in the area that raised a red flag. Dana Satterfield was brutally attacked and left hanging from a heater in her salon. The playing cards are distributed in all of SC 28 Correction Facilities as well as local jails and detention centers. The suspects have not been identified and the case is unsolved. "I was one of probably the second or third or maybe fourth to get there. US 221 in the slow lane and was struck by an unknown vehicle pulling out of South In Greer, South Carolina, on May 16, 2003, just five months before the Superbike Motorsports murders, sometime around 1:30 p.m., local couple Eb and Maggie Barnes entered the Blue Ridge Savings Bank in Greer. Apple users with Spaces enabled may need to use the accesskey for Skip to the main navigation (A); then, TAB through the navigation and press "enter" to activate a link. A year went by, then two. A 17-year-old male, Elijah Briggs, was found on the ground near the bus stop. We dont know, Gary said. We Inspire. Kennedy told 7 News she has so many questions that have been left unanswered. 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.

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