(and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act Spartanburg County Sheriff's Department hide caption toggle caption 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. Key findings. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WYFF-TV. ", Rev. |, Presented by TD Bank, TD SYNNEX & The YMCA, The People and Places That Helped Shape Greenville, Junior League of Greenville now recruiting, Hoop dreams: A history of womens basketball in the Upstate, Celebration of life for Greenvilles Bo Matheny to be held March 6, Jerome Jerry Richardson, Carolina Panthers founder and Wofford College alum, dies at 86, Weekly Dish: Biscuits, burgers and goodbyes, Glimpses of Greenville: Sullivan Hardware served Greenville for generations, International African American Museum to open in Charleston this June, Day in the Life: Line Service Technician GSP, Best Buddies fosters friendship and much more. Though theawful ache of losing her mother has never gone away, her daughter Ashley has helped herself heal by becoming a dedicated victims advocate. Mary Johnson, 77; her husband, Thomas . We Connect. Spartanburg violent crime is 55.7. "We are continuing to work on the unsolved homicides, and as always we are seeking information from the public," he said. Dana Satterfield was brutally attacked and left hanging from a heater in her salon. The playing cards are distributed . Year over year crime in Spartanburg has increased by 2%. On July 21, the body of Alonzo Brooks whose . A South Carolina man accused of holding a woman chained inside a storage container was denied bond Sunday after investigators say he also confessed to an unsolved quadruple murder that. South Carolina. It was a Saturday in January 1993 when Mary Johnson failed to show up for a hair appointment. The Sheriff's Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer But whoever that was was believed to have been the shooter.". In Spartanburg you have a 1 in 13 chance of becoming a victim of crime. She had been picking blackberries with her parents, went to a nearby store, and was later found beaten to a pulp in a closet of an abandoned house. Two teenagers, Joshua. New evidence from a triple homicide in Spartanburg County in 1993 is now being analyzed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. "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. On Aug. 28, around 4:20 a.m., officers responded to 389 Oliver St. in reference to a shooting incident. 1 | The Sodder Children Just Evaporated. ", More: Gunshot deaths, reports down in Spartanburg after violent summer; residents push forward. Lori Reaves Richardson, Charleston/Columbia, SC vtengr4047/Flickr Based on those details, police believe the person in the red car entered the bank to rob its lone teller, Sylvia Holtzclaw. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The playing cards are distributed in all of SC 28 Correction Facilities as well as local jails and detention centers. The whole scene was shocking, period," said Greer Police Lt. Eric Pressley. I said to them, 'You no longer have the liberty to talk to me anymore. 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. The evidence in some is better than in others.. The crime became known as "The Superbike Murders" and it seemed as senseless as it was cold-blooded. David was the oldest. Blood stains were found in the kitchen, in the den around the telephone, and on a chair, according to Seay. Detectives turned their attention to a witness report ofseeing a white and blue vehicle in the area that raised a red flag. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. He drove to the back of the Spartanburg County Administrative building, exited his car, collapsed and died. Neighbors were interviewed. Anyone with information to please contact Investigator Diane Lestage. Then on June 3, 2007, someone killed her and set the house on fire to try to cover up the crime. How would they feel? Gary said. The witness saidthe Vick vehicle was not a perfect match with the one hed seen, though. But after supplying a solid alibi and passing a polygraph test, he was cleared as a suspect. Cold Case deck cards produced in 2015 for distribution in the SC Department of Corrections. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Dana Satterfield, 27, was known for having awarm smile, being a great mom to her two children, and possessing a special flair for hairstyling. Missing front bumper strip and turn signal 27 Comments. They managed to secure both. If you have any information about this caseno matter how big or smallyoure encouraged to contact the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office. After a certain window, homicides are extremely difficult to solve,Trey Gowdy, Spartanburg County Solicitors Office former prosecutor, explained to producers. In 2021, only . "We continue to receive tips through social media. Then, finally, after 18 long months -- vindication. 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. At 8:33 p.m., Philadelphia Police officers responded to the scene and found Isaiah lying in the street. 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. But Mr. Murdaugh, 53, was for years a well-connected player in the clubby South Carolina legal world; the family law firm, based in the tiny city of Hampton, has long been considered a powerhouse . The Unsolved Quadruple Murder at Superbike Motorsports in Chesnee REDUX. spartanburg, s.c. -- A South Carolina man suspected of being a serial killer was formally charged with three additional counts of murder Monday for bodies found buried on his land. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Four of George and Jennie Sodder's nine children managed to get out when their house burned down in 1945, the other five were never found, either alive or dead. Today, the building stands vacant, a makeshift mausoleum in an empty lot in Chesnee, South Carolina. 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. Witnesses said the man tried to stop anybody from going into the house. Now. . The suspect was arrested and charged with the death of Charles Foster. 48 Cause of Death. Privacy Policy | 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. They never would let us see her, because they said it would be too hard, Kennedy said. [Highway Patrol] On 5/30/2003 at 0225 hrs, a Harley Davidson was traveling north on The attached picture is not the actual suspect vehicle, but it is a similar make and model. I know there are people out there who know about these cases.. A select number of cases have accompanying videos, availalble from our YouTube channel.. Case flyers are in PDF format. Both victims, Ronald Glenn and Matthew Booker Jr., suffered from blunt force trauma to the head and face. Delta 88. 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. At the time, Bradshaw was working at the Peach Blossom Diner nearby. Their bodies were found on the bed in a downstairs bedroom where all three slept, according to a Herald-Journal story. The 28-year-old mother had been separated from her husband for several months and had recently purchased a home on Northbrook Street off Highway 9 in Boiling Springs. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. She was shocked to see a young man jump out the window. Investigators were acutely aware of the time, too. Her contact number is 864-503-4556, and her email address is dlestage@spartanburgcounty.org. Can you bring your vape pen or e-cigarette on a plane? Isaiah Odom was struck by gunfire on the 1200 block of South 23rd Street on Thursday, February 2, 2023. And Scott Ponder's was closer to the parked cars here in the parking lot.". for Employment of Handicapped). Until then, she said shell be hanging on to memories. The Herald-Journal has filed Freedom of Information Act requests related to this incident with each of these agencies. Police interviewedVicks former girlfriend, who spoke of his violent streak. During an interview, she nervously explained that she came face to facewith the man for just a second. She was working as a waitress at the Peach Blossom restaurant and taking classes at Spartanburg Community College. The charges against Hampton was dropped due to lack of evidence. "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. CLIFTON, S.C. . They got into a fight with people in another car. "Strangely enough Brian was looking at a home without any knowledge from his wife," said Lorraine Lucas. "The only reasonable explanation here would be that I got the wrong baby. Could he have committed the crime or hired someone else to carry it out? 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. The number of unsolved homicides in the United States is increasing. "They extensively interviewed Melissa and I know that our daughter-in-law was spoken to at the house," said Lorraine. And of course, we have our legendary tale of the "swamp man." Not only that, but they know who did it: 39-year-old career criminal Emmerson Wright. Then, her home, on Northbrook Drive in Boiling Springs, was set on fire. Those hopes were dashed, though, when Quinns DNA didnt match the rape kit evidence. The violence of the attack made it seem personal, Rick Gregory, a Spartanburg County Solicitors Office investigator,told, During an interview, she nervously explained that she came face to face. In the arrest warrant, investigators said Kohlhepp "gave details specific that only the killer would know.". Spartanburg Police Department indicates eight homicides resulting in 11deaths in 2021 have been solved, according to Police Maj. Art Littlejohn. I hope whoever this is that took her mothership away from her, if he/she/whoever has a mother, I hope he will think of his mother, Kennedy said. She owned a beauty salon in Roebuck, South Carolina, and on the evening of July 31, 1995, shed just wrapped a days work. Adding to the tragedy, Melissa and other family members now fear all the time authorities spent focusing on her may have let the real killer slip through the cracks, a killer who could very well strike again. The male was suffering from a gunshot wound to his neck. All rights reserved. On July 9, officers responded to 1605 John B. "There are some people that have direct knowledge but whatever information you have, please call to report what you know about this case. Police found another body Sunday buried at Kohlhepp's property where a woman was found chained in a metal container last week, Spartanburg County officials said. "They never bothered anyone," Ken Coggins, minister of music at Second Baptist Church in Clifton, told the Herald-Journal at the time. Authorities, after all, had already connected Little to the September 1978 murder of 19-year . After the first day or two, it gets more difficult, Gary said. On Friday, Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright held a news conference to discuss the case and announced a reward. Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. On Sept. 12, Hinson was riding around with some others in a car. Other paranormal phenomena are also regularly reported here. Among those shot were two employees with Spartanburg Water, one employee with Spectrum (Perry McIntyre, deceased), a Spartanburg County Sheriffs deputy and the suspect, Shannon Earl Smith, who was killed during the gunfire exchange with law enforcement. Investigators said Bradshaw was brutally beaten. 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. Login; . Was one of the most violent murders in South Carolina history the result of a love triangle gone wrong? But after supplying a solid alibi and passing a polygraph test, he was cleared as a suspect. Days after the brutal killing, Vick, then 17, threatened . Violent crimes in Spartanburg are 303% higher than the national average. "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. "The sheriff's office contacted one of the last customers who left the store that day," said reporter Daniel Gross. Michael Hinson was an 11th grade baseball player at Dorman High. THE REWARD POSTER WILL START RUNNING TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. Her death is still unsolved, and 7 News spoke with her family about. The suspects left in a white sedan or SUV. Kennedy told 7 News she has so many questions that have been left unanswered. 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. Police then talkedto Danas husband, Mike, who downplayed stories that the couples marriage was in trouble. 2 talking about this. And there were even more damning clues: On the last day of his life, Brian Lucas was looking at a new house, apparently without his wife's knowledge. WITH THE ADVANCEMENT OF ADN TECHNOLOGY, DEPUTIES SAY THEY HAVE EVIDENCE BEING EXAMINEDY B SLED THAT WILL GIVE NEW INFORMATION ON THIS CASE. "We know with the time that has passed, many people have heard about this case," a news release from the sheriff's office said. But for the next year and a half, investigators continued scrutinizing Melissa's every action. ", "Mary was one of the most Godly women I've ever known," Moore said in the days that followed the tragedy. Bradshaws estranged husband and her boyfriend have been cleared. On July 1, officers responded to 225 Amelia St. "I was one of probably the second or third or maybe fourth to get there. Whatever the motive, this horrific case still remains unsolved and police need the public's help bringing the killer to justice. NY Post Composite HAMPTON, S.C. Maggie Kennedy Branstetter was a pretty blond sorority girl at the University of South. But we do need help.. After the fire was called in, neighbors gathered outside. The victim died later at the hospital of his injuries. 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. Saturday, February 3, 2007. "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. 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. The Charleston Police Department is reinvestigating unsolved homicides, also known as "cold cases." This site is an attempt to reach out to the members of our community and develop leads and information that will aid in the identification, arrest, and prosecution of the person or persons responsible for these crimes. Input your search keywords and press Enter. Detectives are seeking information from witnesses and/or from anyone who may have knowledge about these cases. "He was saying that he was at the shop, he saw a person who had on a leather coat," said Lorraine Lucas, Brian Lucas's mother. Another son was killed in a car accident 10 years earlier. 21-year-old James Byrd, of Spartanburg, has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, deputies said. Like all of the cold cases that fill the file cabinets on one and a half walls in his office, Gary said the killer may be somewhere in a two-inch binder full of notes. 2. He also has cleared some people who bragged about the case. among 46 cases in Spartanburg County dating back to 1970. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. On Sept. 5, around 9:50 p.m., officers responded to 601 Farley Ave. in reference to a disturbance where shots were being fired. Chris was the first one shot.". "They won't tell us nothing," Elizabeth Johnson in April 1993 said of investigators. We never do.". He died laterat the hospital. Ponder's friend Noel spoke to him before he drove to the shop on the morning of Nov. 6, 2003. Lets Eat at Waynes Lunchbox in Spindale, N.C. 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"And once their DNA did not match up, they knew that there had been a mistake made down at the crime scene," said Melissa. New evidence from a triple homicide in Spartanburg County in 1993 is now being analyzed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The victim, David Pugach, was shot in the parking lot after a confrontation with a male who was riding a moped. All four victims were transported by ambulance to Spartanburg Medical Center to be treated for their injuries. Twenty-eight years later, the triple homicide remains unsolved, among 46 cases in Spartanburg County dating back to 1970. Could he have committed the crime or hired someone else to carry it out? 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. This site contains a number of keyboard shortcuts, called "accesskeys," to assist in navigating. Around 6:30 PM, Diane Harris, a door-to-door saleswoman, stopped by the salon. I guess its knowing what she was trying to do to better her life for herself and her child. He said the family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the prosecution of the person responsible for this crime. Date of Death: October 25, 2011 Location: 15 Spartanburg Court, Apt. [1] Early life [ edit] They recall seeing a man acting strangely. When they opened the door, they discovered Johnson, 77, her husband Thomas, 81, and their 43-year-old son, David, dead from multiple stabbings. Mike Kim. At around 6:30PM on July 31, 1995, she . 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. Coroner's Case Number C-98-8289 ( NamUs Number UP8962) On May 13, 1998 the nude body of an unidentified female of Asian descent was found on the frontage road adjacent to the south bound lane of I- 85 ( Casual Dr). Its possible this person just saw the fire and it captured his attention. "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 were approximately 17,721 homicides in South Carolina between 1980 and 2019, according to the Project: Cold Case website for unsolved homicide statistics. You just learn how to live with it, so this is kind of my way of living with it.. Responding at that time, Coffey confirmed that the Johnsons were interviewed at length. Two of the victims, Travoiris Antoine Gentry and Jaquante Donnell Burris, died later. And right now I'm heading over to his office to have his body exhumed so I can have a DNA test done.'". Isaiah Odom - DC# 23-17-003163 . With such an extreme act of violence carried out in broad daylight, it's not long before authorities receive their first solid tip. On July 23, around 9:03 p.m., officers responded to 151 Palisade St.in reference to a drive-by shooting. Dateline and Chain of Events. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Her son was only 7 years old when she died. The encounter left her shaken, but she was able to give investigators details needed to create a composite sketch to be released. planned to visit Dana the night she died, according to Pace. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. All rights reserved. But who knows, maybe in time they'll solve it.". The victim, who had bruises on her body, was suspended an inch or so above the floor. 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. Name. 'It was chaos': Neighbors describe tense Spartanburg standoff scene near Cleveland Park. There was no evidence of forced entry and those who knew her said she would not have opened the door for strangers, leading police to believe she knew her killer. 2023 Spartanburg Sheriff. Myrtle Styles Hembree, an 11 year old girl, was raped and brutally murdered in July 1947 in the small community of Una near Spartanburg, SC. The murders remain unsolved. The suspect was arrested a few days later based on investigative findings. No ID or clothing was found at the scene. She had overcome the adversities she had dealt with her whole life, Gary said. 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. A woman who now lives in the former house of the Johnsons said she is aware of the tragedy that happened there, but she declined to talk about it. Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. Outraged, Melissa demanded a second DNA test, but the results were the same. Open or Unsolved Transgender Homicides; 2023 These cases are still open and are being investigated by detectives from the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office. Theories abound as to who really killed four people that November day. This site contains a number of keyboard shortcuts, called "accesskeys," to assist in navigating. All rights reserved. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 08:39 PM EST. Maggie Murdaugh and son Paul (inset) were shot and killed at Moselle. He said investigators had some suspects, but they lacked evidence linking anyone to the crime. The victim was shot several times in his legs and upper body.