They sent it off for continued testing at the University of South Carolina, where a forensic anthropologist was able to tell investigators that the skull belonged "to a six-to-eight-year-old African American.". Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. 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. Charleston Murdaugh Murders | News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News - WCIV Low 44F. 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. Unidentified Remains The SLED Forensic Art Unit assists local law enforcement agencies in Unidentified Remains cases. Homicides dont get closed. While police work to find the people responsible for killing Hawkins and Ramsey, they are also still investigating the July 15, 2018 shooting death of Quatavious Freeman. But we can't prove it. The sunny atmosphere from just a few days prior had evaporated. It happened around 9:15 p.m. at a home. 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. 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. ", Riley, of course, was Major Sam Riley of the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office. James and Margaret Barnes walked into the bank together just after 1 p.m. and at 1:30 p.m. the panic button had been pushed. While they were not considered suspects, investigators did want to question them. 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. Five people in his. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, with credit for time served and good behaviour. Anyone with information on any of Greenwood's homicides is asked to call law enforcement at 911, or police detectives at 864-942-8407. It had been nearly five years since the original indictment was filed, accusing him of the abduction and murder of Kia Logan. 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. They had been playing basketball together when Malakia decided to go home. They are asking local law enforcement to. Set in the middle of Greenwood itself, the reward fund started with a $2000 donation in her name. However, three - which took place in the middle of this crime spree - took place on a Thursday. Results: Unresolved. It was August 9, 1976, on a deserted road in Sumter County, SC, when a trucker happened upon the scene of the murders. "We're now awaiting requests from law enforcement for further assistance. Greenwood's law enforcement now working 4 unsolved homicides By DAMIAN DOMINGUEZ ddominguez@indexjournal.com Jun 5, 2019 Zykevious Ramsey's sister, Jada Leverette, said her brother was a. 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. (LogOut/ No one wants to think that there is evil that walks among us; an evil that stalks the dark and steals the light. Police have deduced that she was killed Greenwood County and her body dumped in Newberry County. The only inconsistencies in the cases were the different times and days on which the abductions occurred, as well as the fact each victim cited a different vehicle being involved. This would come up later in the story, so please keep that in-mind. Thats why its so important that we build that relationship with the community and we have that working relationship, he said. 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. Greenwood city's six unsolved homicides stay a police priority | Crime His ex-wife and girlfriend agreed on that - they often helped him dye it, during time periods that turned out to correlate with the 1995 and 1996 sexual assaults. He described not only his sex life - which included sex with both genders - but his prior criminal history. 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. 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. Unfortunately, none came, and the next day, they had to begin investigating Kia's disappearance in earnest. It was a crime where no sexual assault had taken place, but centered around the abduction of a seven-year old victim in 1995. Needless to say, Charles Hampton was now on their radar. On the northern outskirts of the town is the small country airport, which consists of a single elongated runway. These two men were not immediately believed to be suspects, but were wanted for questioning. Sam Riley, who had been a Major in the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, had recently been elected Sheriff. 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. To get justice for them, Chaudoin said he sometimes asks officers if there are forensic techniques that could reveal new leads. When they continued their rounds of questioning, Hampton was eager to talk. As another family started mourning Tuesday, Greenwood law enforcement had another shooting on their hands to solve. 6 Infamous Bone Chilling Unsolved Mysteries In South Carolina Unfortunately, the searches came up with no sign of Kia, or any clue as to what had happened to her. There at that mailbox is the last place Jeremy was seen. But, let a Carolina or a Clemson sports event take the forefront and emotions bubble over throughout the community. 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. A witness spotted two men running from the area after the shooting, and they got into a small silver four-door vehicle parked at a nearby gas station. This year my daughter Renee will go, but I will stay here to answer the phone, just in case. Research revealed that Lori had married Nathaniel Richardson in February of 1994 and that is where the trail grows cold. A clear sky. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. 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. 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. Examining the world of solved and unsolved cases. On May 30th, over two weeks after Kia had disappeared, investigators were still optimistic. 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. They were just a few hundred or so yards from their apartment, where the sisters lived with their mother, a middle school teacher. BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. (WIS) - Two men died in a shooting Friday night in Batesburg-Leesville, police confirmed. The sketch came from the witness sightings of the second person-of-interest, who had been driving the dark mid-70's model Monte Carlo. There was a fight among a group of teenagers and several shots were fired. Category:South Carolina | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki | Fandom Unsolved Murdaugh Murders Expose Years of South Carolina Mysteries Charles Wade Hampton was born on September 21st, 1952. I am criticizing the rest of us who thrive in our community yet appear apathetic. He reported him missing at 10 a.m. that morning. In November 2002, Hampton was transferred to a jail in Greenwood County and charged with murder, abduction and intent to commit criminal sexual misconduct on a minor, all in relation to Kias disappearance and murder. However, no evidence has been found to link him to Dail's case and interviews with him have been sadly uninformative. In 2009, the Malakia Logan Memorial Scholarship was established at her hometown's Lander University. 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. Despite the charges being dropped in relation to Kias murder, Hampton was convicted on obstruction of justice in relation to the Richland County case and his alleged false confessions. At least four of the six could easily be solved if someone would step up and give us better info because they know.. That's really bad for the family. 8th Circuit Solicitor Jerry Peace, who had replaced William Townes Jones in the preceding half-decade, had plenty to say about this decision. What happened to little Jeremy? 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. Another witness described seeing a vehicle pull behind a nearby church and turn its lights off, then speed past heading south. Low 44F. Dennis Beauford, the deputy who had originally responded, was a Sergeant at this point in time for the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office. In-between her 1988 disappearance and the 1998 confirmation that the skull belonged to her, they had prepared for the worst but anticipated Kia returning home. Upon his arrest, he proved very cooperative with law enforcement. We're scraping the bottom right now.". He admitted to committing three child abductions in northern Georgia and confessed to having killed a child at an out-of-state farm. Neighbors cameras didnt offer much, but one witness said he saw a black sedan leave speeding from the area. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Throughout the beginning of the search for her daughter, Bernetta begged the kidnapper to show some mercy toward Kia. He was more than willing to continue talking, even answering questions about his prior sexual assault conviction from 1981. You may remain anonymous and possibly receive a cash reward. Hampton confessed to committing three child abductions in a northern Georgia town, and even confessed to killing a child out on a farm. On May 15th, 1988, all seemed to be well in the world. When the police finally arrived they found all three of the victims in a utility room in the back of the bank. Upon the 1996 arrest of Charles Hampton, the string of child abductions plaguing the area of Georgia and South Carolina seemed to come to an end. The victim was not the intended target. In the past 21 years the departments digital records system goes back, there were 55 murders reported to the police. Charles Wade Hampton were eventually charged with Malakia's murder, but the mystery remains unsolved. Get more stories delivered right to your email. 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. It's a town of roughly 20,000 people - a population level that hasn't really changed in over thirty years. Police have shared that Kias abduction was a crime of opportunity, and that Hampton did not know the young girl. I'm not the first to ask that question and so many more than me want to know the answer. Jump to a detailed profile, search site with google or try advanced search. When it was discovered by her parents that she was gone there was no trace to follow. Low 44F. The authorities are opening a new investigation into an unsolved 2015 death as a result of information gleaned after two . The Sheriffs Office, along with other law enforcement and volunteer agencies, conducted a three week search of the area, but were unable to locate any other remains. Nothing more is known On a cold and rainy Thursday morning Jeremy Grice mysteriously vanished from his North Augusta home. At the time of his arrest, he was forty-four years old, and was driving a white 1986 Dodge 600. Video from the area showed a car with someone hanging out of the back passenger window and firing. 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. By Thursday, May 19th, the mood in the Georgetown apartment complex had changed dramatically. Greenwood Police Chief T.J. Chaudoin said he keeps a file in his office of the departments unsolved homicide cases, to keep them fresh in his mind and revisit them when he can. It has been over a decade since there was any news or developments in the investigation, with it seeming to entering the pantheon of cold cases which will likely never be truly solved. Two months into the investigation, at least one thing was crystal clear: Kia Logan may have been missing, but she most certainly wasn't going to be forgotten. Subscribe Now:. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. He voluntarily provided blood and hair samples. It was this apartment complex where, on a Sunday evening in the middle of May, everything seemed right with the world. Police had continued to interview people within the apartment complex, hoping to learn more about these two mysterious men and any ties they had to the tenants. Witnesses said they heard the shooting and one gave a description of a suspect but left before officers could question them further. The family, to their credit, was steadfast in their conviction, wanting to to see Hampton in a court to face the charges levied against him. Malakia Kia Zali Logan was born on August 1, 1979 to parents Richard and Bernetta Logan. 1966 triple murder still sends shock waves through Hendersonville "The 10 Best New Mystery and Thriller Books of December are Giving Us Literal Chills"E! 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. While police began a search of his home and his vehicle, he openly admitted to several things. It is known that her friends lost track of her in the crowd so they assumed that she had a ride home and left. 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. Police interviewed a few of Paynes friends and coworkers but didnt learn much. "We're looking for a medium blue utility-type van with dark tinted windows. 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. It seems that there may be been two suspects who were trying to rob the bank. They all decided to put the money to good use, allowing education or nursing majors to receive the scholarship in times of hardship. This is due to his alleged confessions, which he would later recant. Uncovered: Unsolved South Carolina Murders Unfortunately for them, as soon as Hampton went to jail for Peeping Tom, he stopped cooperating with investigators. 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. A random child abduction that went "sour" - usually a byproduct of a victim choosing to fight back, or attempting to run away. Malakia Logan Unresolved Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Like I said, these crimes varied by location, with some taking place in Georgia and others in South Carolina. Anyone with information on those cases is urged to call law enforcement. 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. Dennis Beauford, one of the first deputies to arrive at the scene, stated: "It was a pretty Sunday afternoon. Freeman was shot at about 10 p.m. July 15, 2018 at a Sumter Street residence. At the time of her disappearance, Reinaldo Javier "Ray" Rivera, now a convicted serial killer, was attending the University of South Carolina. Through interviews, police learned two or three men had come over to the house prior to the shooting. However, they did say they would pursue new charges, should new evidence surface. 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. In-between the apartment's basketball court and her front door, this little girl had disappeared. She never came home with her sister. He and. Just like the day of the week, the timing changed, as well: some victims were abducted as early as 12:45 in the afternoon, while others were abducted as the sun began to set: seven or eight o'clock at night. They had reason to believe that Hampton had been responsible for some truly terrible crimes, but they had no prove any of them. Anyone with information on any of Greenwoods homicides is asked to call law enforcement at 911, or police detectives at 864-942-8407. He was taken to Self Regional Medical Center for treatment, where he died of his injury. His hair was dark blonde, which could vary anywhere between blonde and dark brown. No one knows what really happened in that short span of time. Dennis Beauford, the responding deputy, ended up staying the night on the couch of the Logan family, waiting for there to be any ransom calls or communication from Kia herself. This meant that investigators now had half-a-decade to try and work out a case against him. They wanted to take their time, and waited until his holding period for the 1995 warrant was nearing its end to finally strike. South Carolina's unsolved mysteries - WYFF Map Browse By State. At around 8:15pm, Kia decided she wanted to return home and thus grabbed her bike and left. 6 Infamous Bone Chilling Unsolved Mysteries In South CarolinaThank for watching! The Murder of Malakia Logan - Stories of the Unsolved Peace stated that Hampton had falsely confessed to "one, maybe two murders in Georgia and one in Columbia. It's like a depression has set in.". A little after nine o'clock that evening, Kia was reported missing to the Greenwood County Sheriff's Department. The case surrounding Kias disappearance was initially investigated as a simple missing persons report. They searched pretty exhaustively for around three weeks, unable to locate any more remains other than the skull. Titled "The Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund," it hope to incentivize anyone with information to come forward. GREENWOOD, SC (WSPA) A rally in front of the Greenwood Courthouse brought families of nearly a half dozen murder victims together Tuesday afternoon. By this point, her family had begun to fear the worst. It just stops as if she evaporated into the hot southern air of South Carolina. While some descriptions of this suspect varied - such as at least one of the girls calling the suspect "fat in his tummy" and the perpetrator's hair color varying - these details were all universally agreed upon. The prosecutors consulted Kia's family throughout this process, taking their feelings into consideration. Despite their efforts, no evidence was found. The City-Data.com crime index weighs serious crimes and violent crimes more heavily. It happened May 15, 1988, somewhere between the small park that was just 300 yards away from the apartment complex and her door. - tattooed on his right shoulder. Sadly, he wasn't too far off. Many of these details matched up with what police had heard from the victims themselves - but others did not. Lori's sister, Debbie, tried to contact her regarding her mother's death, but couldn't find her. 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. 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. Soon, the one-year anniversary of Kia's disappearance had come-and-gone. These tips carried the investigation outside the Greenwood area, with investigators pursuing leads to as far away at California. On this Sunday afternoon, in the middle of May, all seemed to be well. 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. Share your news tips and story ideas with us. Cold Cases | Charleston, SC - Official Website Missing Persons my Neighborhood alarm registration File a report Also, the Kia Reward Fund is growing and we are hopeful that this will bring someone forward with positive information. 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. He would be sixty-five years old as of this episode's recording, and there's only a brief mention of him on the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's sex offender registry. Cold cases isnt the term Greenwood Police Chief T.J. Chaudoin likes to use for his departments unsolved homicides. 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. 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! 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. However, because of its size, they were able to determine that the victim had been thirteen years of age or younger. The Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund was established by Tuck Wooten, the Head of A.M. Tuck Inc. Edward Lee Elmore: Free After 29 Years On Death Row - Crime Traveller Greenwood's law enforcement now working 4 unsolved homicides Perez took police to another man lying on a concrete pad behind an apartment. Payne was shot at about 9:40 p.m. June 12 at 117 Klugh St. Officers arrived on scene with a medical bag, sealing two bullet wounds to his chest. 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. Every state has its unsolved mysteries and South Carolina, unfortunately, is not without its own. The lone exception was a five-year old girl with tan, olive-colored skin who had dark feaures. 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. ddominguez@indexjournal.com. 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. The composite is the latest thing we have and we're trying to develop leads from that. He had been previously terminated due to unexcused absences and excessive tardiness, but that didn't stop him from getting into trouble. Online"10 Books to Cozy Up With This December"PopSugar A popular sorority girl. Since that time two ponds have been drained, searches have been conducted, and a serial killer (who would have been a teenager at that time) has been interviewed all to no avail. Her older sister and friend stayed at the basketball court for a little while longer. Police called for EMS, but Padgett looked badly injured so officers loaded him into a patrol car to drive him to the hospital. 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. Through the rest of the year, police would remain relatively silent as to where their investigation stood. You can also contact the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at (803) 737-9000. 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. 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 . Tiffany, whose case I covered in the last episode, was found in a shallow grave roughly twenty miles away from where she had gone missing. He said its unlikely that no one saw the shooter, but rather that witnesses dont feel comfortable sharing what they saw. And of course, we have our legendary tale of the "swamp man.". Dispatchers told police several men were seen running behind a residence on Sumter street and dropping guns off. Sylvia Holtzclaw was running the bank alone on Friday, May 16, 2003, in Greer, SC. A campus podcast with chilling repercussions. There were 14 shell casings of different makes and calibers in the area. But, rather, because he has said some very damning things about himself and committed some criminal acts, none of which would paint him as a flattering neighbor. His stepfather was watching him in her absence. 13-36901 (Murder) Jessica, a pretty little girl with brown hair and sparkling brown eyes went to bed on June 5, 1986, along with her two sisters. Sometimes officers get tips about rumors from the community, but these vague and often unsourced allegations arent enough to give police probable cause for an arrest. Just like the details he provided: he knew some information about these locales, but not all of the minute details. Police checked for fingerprints and gunshot residue, along with pulling Parkers phone records to identify who he had spoken with. Over the next week, the letter written by Dr. Wiggins inspired many to pledge support to the Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund. If you know any information about this crime, you can contact the Greenwood County Sheriff's Department at (864) 942-8600. Another description was vague, calling it simply an older model white compact or subcompact with blue interior. However, no calls were received and the real investigation into her disappearance began. 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. However, one of the most interesting notes of this sketch came from a description, which noted that the suspect had a pockmarked face. This was a random act, which seems to be his technique.". Kia was a third grade student at Merrywood Elementary School. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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. According to our research of South Carolina and other state lists, there were 13 registered sex offenders living in Greenwood, South Carolina as of March 04, 2023. Greenwood city's six unsolved homicides stay a police priority, By DAMIAN DOMINGUEZ As former Sheriff Riley and current Sheriff Tony Davis stated: "members of the community supported the Logan family when in need, and now those funds will support those in need with educational opportunities.". Bullets damaged the window of a residence and shot through a TV inside. Invalid password or account does not exist. She hopped on her bike and began riding back to her mother's apartment - a distance no greater than three-hundred yards. After 11'000 days, 30 years and 29 of those years on death row, Edward Lee Elmore was freed in 2012.