Greenwood city's six unsolved homicides stay a police priority, By DAMIAN DOMINGUEZ ddominguez@indexjournal.com. Jump to a detailed profile, search site with google or try advanced search. You have permission to edit this article. There were witnesses that say they saw a white male whose face was pockmarked driving an older model, dark, Monte Carlo, but none of them ever saw Malakia with him or any other suspicious activity. At around the time these sexual assaults came to an end, in the summer of 1996, police began to eye a specific sexual deviant as a potential suspect. She had one sister, named Renee, and the three lived in an apartment complex just north of Greenwood, South Carolina. Officers heard about 10 shots at about 2:50 a.m. May 19, 2019 from the area of Pearl Street. Call CrimeStoppers 843-554-1111. Police also found actual pairs of children's underwear in his laundry, which then sent in for forensic testing. Some parts 2023 Advameg, Inc. Crime rate in Greenwood, South Carolina (SC): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map, Crime rate in Greenwood, South Carolina (SC). 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. Prosecutors there had been building a case against Hampton since the summer of 2000, but chose not to bring it forward because of an interstate agreement between Georgia and South Carolina. Her picture appeared on ADVO cards in August and the story was recently on television. All these cases are active. If they wanted to try him for any of those crimes, they needed a more definitive smoking gun. In the afternoons you see small children running and playing, riding skateboards, that kind of thing. Local businesses continued by making donations to the fund. Video from the area showed a car with someone hanging out of the back passenger window and firing. Map Browse By State. A clear sky. This not being enough, the skull would later be sent to an FBI lab in 1998. The murder is being investigated by the Columbia Police Department. Edward Lee Elmore was a black man in the town of Greenwood, South Carolina in 1982 when he was arrested for the murder of 75-year-old Dorothy Edwards, a popular fun-loving woman who was well-known in the community. In particular, they went after him for comments he had made between his 2000 release from prison and his 2002 re-arrest, in which he had confessed to the 1995 abduction of a five-year old girl from Richland County and the subsequent sexual assault. Earlier that night, she and a few of her friends had attended a U2 concert and afterwards went to a nightclub, then known as Jungle Jim's. Perez called police himself at about 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2010, and flagged them down as they arrived at 207 New Market St. The families and friends of those slain deserve answers, and Chaudoin said he asks investigators to revisit these open cases every now and then. She, also, went missing while riding her bike very close to her home, in a public setting. Sending it off for testing, they had to hope that they could uncover any evidence that could help lead them to the culprit. Through interviews, police learned two or three men had come over to the house prior to the shooting. The charges against Hampton was dropped due to lack of evidence. On the northern outskirts of the town is the small country airport, which consists of a single elongated runway. Hampton confessed to committing three child abductions in a northern Georgia town, and even confessed to killing a child out on a farm. The documentation for this case included a lead sheet filed in April 2020, where an officer detailed dozens of interviews done in this case, along with tips detectives have followed up on. Her father was the mayor of Saluda, a small town in South Carolina, and her mother was a teacher at a local middle school. All of their friends in the apartment complex had since gone home, so Renee knew that Kia wasn't still out there. Officers did find an air pistol at a nearby street corner, along with a car with a shot-out window. "I hope wherever she (Kia) is, she's safe and alive and she'll be home soon. They learned about how he constantly changed his hair color, and had driven a number of cars over the last few years: some of which included a 1977 maroon Dodge Aspen, a 1965 Chevy Bel Air, and a bronze-colored Chrysler. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. DNA testing confirmed her identity. However, because of its size, they were able to determine that the victim had been thirteen years of age or younger. A campus podcast with chilling repercussions. Tipsters can also reach out on Facebook, or submit a tip anonymously online at bit.ly/3zN6rM2. The Disappearance of Nguyet Thu Wiki Phung, Case Update: Brittanee Drexels Remains Discovered After 13 Years, SuspectCharged, The Disappearances of Tina & BethanySinclair. To this day, the case remains open and unsolved. Calling them cold cases implies theyre no longer active, but Chaudoin said the unsolved homicides in Greenwoods city limits since 2001 are still top of mind for him. However, no calls were received and the real investigation into her disappearance began. They had been playing basketball together when Malakia decided to go home. Alex Murdaugh took the witness stand on Feb. 23, Day 23 of his trial for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.When Murdaugh . Kia and her sister, Renee, were playing with some friends on the basketball court, when Kia decided to turn in at around 8:30 PM. Sylvia Holtzclaw was running the bank alone on Friday, May 16, 2003, in Greer, SC. The authorities are opening a new investigation into an unsolved 2015 death as a result of information gleaned after two . He was more than willing to continue talking, even answering questions about his prior sexual assault conviction from 1981. It was not long until 52-year-old Charles Wade Hampton, a maintenance worker at the Hard Labor Creek State Park rest stop in Georgia and a former employee of the Department of Transportation, came onto police radar. One of the most intriguing and promising leads in this investigation came on that Wednesday night, May 18th, when a composite sketch of a potential suspect was aired on the evening news. A translator helped him speak to officers, and he said he was robbed before he and the other man were shot by a masked man. In the weeks after, she would find it difficult to leave the telephone unattended, in case she missed a call from someone related to the case. The investigation to find her had still gone nowhere truly productive, with police beginning to expand their search out of the area according to some in the police department, even out of the state. ddominguez@indexjournal.com. Sadly, he wasn't too far off. Renee arrived home approximately 15 to 20 minutes later and it was discovered that Kia had not returned. No closure. A Mother and Son Are Found Murdered, Deepening a Mystery in South Carolina. At least nine unsolved murder cases in Union County have investigators asking the public . Can't we show at least as much concern for the fate of a child? There were approximately 17,721 homicides in South Carolina between 1980 and 2019, according to the Project: Cold Case website for unsolved homicide statistics. Between the 2002 indictment and this, he had accrued nearly five years of time served. Subscribe Now:. In the weeks since Kia had gone missing, Bernetta struggled to leave the phone for any prolonged period of time. And of course, we have our legendary tale of the "swamp man.". Despite this overwhelming sadness experienced by Bernetta and her family at this moment in time, the article had a profound effect on the community. It's a reminder of unfinished business.". Officers heard several shots on April 6, 2013 while at the Greenwood County Detention Center, then saw two men running up from 606 Tabor St., one of whom had been shot in the arm. On July 4th, the Greenwood-area newspaper, the Index Journal, ran a story detailing Kia's mom, Bernetta Logan, as she struggled with the disappearance of her youngest daughter. 5C Albert Adams, known as "New York" in the Greenline community, was shot and killed on the front porch of his apartment. However, three - which took place in the middle of this crime spree - took place on a Thursday. Police were called to the scene, and the skull was taken into police custody for testing. 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. Throughout the beginning of the search for her daughter, Bernetta begged the kidnapper to show some mercy toward Kia. 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. Police have shared that Kias abduction was a crime of opportunity, and that Hampton did not know the young girl. 6 Infamous Bone Chilling Unsolved Mysteries In South CarolinaThank for watching! He voluntarily provided blood and hair samples. With these two most recent homicides, the number of unsolved slayings in recent years for Greenwood County climbs to four. That day - Monday, May 16th - approximately seventy-five people helped conduct a search around the apartment complex. It was early morning, October 2001 on Interstate 526. Will they ever find out what happened and who these two young people were? Perez took police to another man lying on a concrete pad behind an apartment. It's hard not to compare the crime to that of Tiffany Nelson, a nine-year old that went missing from Augusta, Georgia in June of 1994. Missing Persons my Neighborhood alarm registration File a report On June 22, 2007, the prosecutor announced that the charges against Hampton would be dropped, citing a lack of evidence to corroborate his prior confession. During the investigation, police drove him around to many of the abduction sites, and while he was able to share some information, he didnt know any of the minute details the actual perpetrator would, leading them to believe he was making up his confessions. You see, in 1981, he had been arrested and convicted for the rape of a sixteen-year old, telling interrogators that his seminal fluid had been used to convict him. They all lived in housing close to the highway in-question, and they were all abducted from one location and led to another. When they continued their rounds of questioning, Hampton was eager to talk. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. The DNA testing from the six sexual assaults linked them together, indicating that a single suspect was behind each of the crimes - however, none of those samples matched up with Hampton himself. Upon receiving Bernettas call, a bulletin was released, featuring the young girls description, which informed the countys officers that she was an African American female who stood at 42; weighed 60 to 70 pounds; and was wearing yellow shorts, a yellow-and-white polka dot shirt, and slip-on shoes. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Zykevious Ramsey, 22, was shot early Tuesday morning on the steps of his apartment and later died while at the hospital. Three years later, in 1996, Newberry County investigators asked a private genetics lab in North Carolina to perform mitochondrial DNA testing, using DNA obtained from Kias parents, which suggested the skull did, in fact, belong to Kia, a fact that was confirmed upon the skull being sent to the FBI lab in Washington in 1998. Unidentified Remains The SLED Forensic Art Unit assists local law enforcement agencies in Unidentified Remains cases. The composite, for all of its intrigue, led to no real suspects in the surrounding area. He was taken to Self Regional Medical Center for treatment, where he died of his injury. 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 . However, they did say they would pursue new charges, should new evidence surface. 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. However, Kia lived with her mother, Bernetta Logan Baylor, who was a teacher at a nearby middle school. Does it not bother you, as it does me, that our community, with a few exceptions, seems to be showing little aggressive concern over the mysterious disappearance of one of our children, Kia Logan? However, it wasn't until 2002 that prosecutors began firing off the big guns at Hampton. Those early tests were inconclusive, relying on DNA found in the skull itself in very primitive ways. Police called for EMS, but Padgett looked badly injured so officers loaded him into a patrol car to drive him to the hospital. Richard Martin Age. Investigators with the S.C. Highway Patrol ( SCHP . On this Sunday afternoon, in the middle of May, all seemed to be well. Many of these details matched up with what police had heard from the victims themselves - but others did not. Contact staff writer Damian Dominguez at 864-634-7548 or follow on Twitter @IJDDOMINGUEZ. Childrens underwear was also found and sent away for forensic testing. Unfortunately, this didn't seem remiss and then in 2007, her mother passed away and that is where the story begins. But there were also nude photographs of women - including images of his then-girlfriend - and a pornographic magazine named "Stroke Off Tales.". He died later at the hospital. 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. There are just no leads or evidence to go on even though the police push every avenue they come across. You may remain anonymous and possibly receive a cash reward. 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. It took over a decade, but Kia's parents were finally given answers as to what had happened ot their daughter. It all pointed to a very confusing puzzle, which police didn't know how to make sense of. The composite is the latest thing we have and we're trying to develop leads from that. It is believed that the subjects were attempting to rob his neighbor's apartment. Welldo you really need that much sleep? Friends were celebrating the warm weather by swimming in the apartment pools, kids were playing outside among others their age, and families were barbecuing and picnicking in the community areas. They had reason to believe that Hampton had been responsible for some truly terrible crimes, but they had no prove any of them. Carolyn Kelley, the apartment/property manager that lived in the apartments with her daughter and granddaughter, had noticed a complete overhaul of the environment. In an idling SUV, Sherwin Gittens was found dead by police. South Carolina Crime Stoppers View Source Square with arrow pointing upper right. 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. She then contacted Lori's daughter and found that she hadn't heard from Lori since 1992. Soon, children began playing outside of the Georgetown apartments once again, Kia's disappearance becoming an outlier to a safe community. Coffee is her best friend and a good book cannot be beat! Eventually, DNA testing would show that, while the same suspect was involved in all six abductions, Hampton was not the one who committed them. Call the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center at 843-743-7200 and ask to speak to a Detective in the Charleston Police Department Violent Crimes Unit. Remember, this is before the trial of OJ Simpson, so DNA testing was very much in its infancy. The sunny atmosphere from just a few days prior had evaporated. I'm not the first to ask that question and so many more than me want to know the answer. The Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund was established by Tuck Wooten, the Head of A.M. Tuck Inc. South Carolina is loaded with history and ghostly tales of suspense. Winds light and variable.. A clear sky. Higher means more crime, U.S. average is 254.8. This Is The Number One Unsolved Mystery In South Carolina And It Will Leave You Baffled. Invalid password or account does not exist. It hasn't been updated with any of his current information. It was occupied by an older white male with graying hair. When I drove up, and looked at that bike in the parking lot, I had a gut feeling something wasn't right and I called Riley at home. He described not only his sex life - which included sex with both genders - but his prior criminal history. The witnesses had described his hair as having a light glow to it, but they couldn't definitively see it. Choose wisely! Greenwood County Sheriff Giles Daniel stated that calls were still pouring in about Kia, either potential sightings or people that may know something. Officers spoke with several witnesses who described the vehicle the shooters were in, but have been unable to identify any suspects. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Somewhere out there is someone who knows something about each one of these mysteries and it is up to us to not let them grow cold. Winds light and variable. The witness saw three young men in the car, and when officers checked near the church they found a pair of shoes that matched a sole imprint at the scene. Police have long theorized that the abduction - and later murder - of Kia Logan was a crime of opportunity. Theyre experiencing the most horrific thing thats probably ever happened to them in their life, Chaudoin said. That's all we've got. The Murdaugh Murders, Money & Mystery offers an in-depth look at the unfolding criminal saga centered around disgraced former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh. There is nothing left to tell about this case unfortunately. He had a pockmarked face with pointed features, and his hair is believed to have been brownish with sun streaks. This indictment was signed by 8th Circuit Solicitor William Townes Jones - the same William Townes Jones whose daughter, Townes, was given international popularity in the Harry Styles' song "Carolina.". It is the yin and yang; balance in all things. On the evening on May 15, 1988, Kia and Renee were playing basketball with a friend at the court of a nearby park, located 300 yards from their apartment complex. Hampton pleaded not guilty to the charges and immediately recanted his confession, just as hed done in previous cases. 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.". 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. Through the rest of the year, police would remain relatively silent as to where their investigation stood. Families were barbecuing, having picnics, and hanging out in the pool, while children were playing all around the complex. Other paranormal phenomena are also regularly reported here. Create a password that only you will remember. One of those cases was Stephen Smith a 19-year-old man from Hampton, S.C. who was found dead in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8, 2015. Another witness described seeing a vehicle pull behind a nearby church and turn its lights off, then speed past heading south. As the hunter walked along a pasture fence, he stumbled upon a small object resembling a human skull. Over the next week, the letter written by Dr. Wiggins inspired many to pledge support to the Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund. On September 23, 1992, Dail Dinwiddie vanished into the night as she was walking along Harden Street in Columbia, SC. 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. In 2009, the Malakia Logan Memorial Scholarship was established at Lander University, in her hometown of Greenwood, South Carolina. 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. It is what life is made of. 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.. When it was discovered by her parents that she was gone there was no trace to follow. "The 10 Best New Mystery and Thriller Books of December are Giving Us Literal Chills"E! Police noted that he had a snake tattoo on his upper arm, as well as his initials - C.H. Peace stated that Hampton had falsely confessed to "one, maybe two murders in Georgia and one in Columbia. Investigators had been pursuing clues as far away as California, and trying to tie Kia's disappearance to other stories of missing children in the surrounding states. You never know if that tiny piece of information could flesh out the full puzzle. He stated about the confirmation of the skull belonging to Kia: "I felt for a long time that the skull was hers, but I hoped it wasn't. "We're looking for a medium blue utility-type van with dark tinted windows. 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. We dont close out these cases because theyre so important.. In most cases, they were sexually assaulted before being abandoned in a public setting, but at least one of the girls wasn't she was simply abducted and then dumped off at a gas station, where she was able to call for help. Every state has its unsolved mysteries and South Carolina, unfortunately, is not without its own. Police department Public Information Officer Jonathan Link said investigators are continuing to work with the information theyve gathered in each of these cases, and that theyve tried to get more information through interviewing witnesses and other people of interest. At least four of the six could easily be solved if someone would step up and give us better info because they know.. When human remains are found and the identity of the deceased person is unknown, this unit provides artistic renderings of what the victim/person may have looked like in life. I know that we dont want to think about such things happening in our own backyard, but we must. Contact staff writer Damian Dominguez at 864-634-7548 or follow on twitter @IJDDOMINGUEZ. Name: Date: Victims: Location : A: Sylvester Lewis ADAMS October 17, 1979: 1: South Carolina, USA: Quincy Javon ALLEN July-August 2002: 4: South Carolina, USA : John . Get Alerts Map; Browse By State; Submit a Crime Tip Square with arrow pointing upper right. He openly confessed to committing several of the child abductions, providing explicit details of the subsequent sexual assaults. Newspaper reports indicate that she was born with two holes in her heart, but she would turn out to be stronger than she knew. It happened around 9:15 p.m. at a home. However, by the time the skull was forensically proven as belonging to Kia Logan, they had come across a suspect they believed was not only responsible for Kia's death, but an assortment of various sexual assaults and crimes against children. There was a fight among a group of teenagers and several shots were fired. We won't share it with anyone else. While police began a search of his home and his vehicle, he openly admitted to several things. This meant that police were pretty confident that the skull had been intentionally left there. As Hampton prepared for his five-year sentence, he was facing investigations and charges from four separate states. Little else could be determined of the victim or how they had died, as the skull showed no signs of obvious trauma or any bullet holes. Its not just about arresting a suspect, Chaudoin said, its about building a case the states prosecutors can get a conviction with. Hampton was known to spend a good amount of time on this farm, and it remained on the investigator's radar for a good amount of time after this initial confession. They had been shot. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, with credit for time served and good behaviour.