They were just a few hundred or so yards from their apartment, where the sisters lived with their mother, a middle school teacher. They wanted to take their time, and waited until his holding period for the 1995 warrant was nearing its end to finally strike. Renee arrived home approximately 15 to 20 minutes later and it was discovered that Kia had not returned. He'll be back on the street. Nor am I criticizing those who have helped so far or those concerned citizens who have contributed to the present approximately $3000 reward. Few details have been gleaned from interviews. Thats why its so important that we build that relationship with the community and we have that working relationship, he said. The murder is being investigated by the Columbia Police Department. 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. 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 . 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.. Sheriff Foster continued: "We are reasonably sure, at this point, the skull was not dug from a grave." South Carolina murderers list | Murderpedia Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. But now a parent's worst fear was beginning to creep into their bones the realization that she had not been okay, that something HAD happened to her. 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. They're going to search for other skeletal remains in identification.". To this day, the case remains open and unsolved. Malakia Kia Zali Logan was born on August 1, 1979 to parents Richard and Bernetta Logan. Many of these details matched up with what police had heard from the victims themselves - but others did not. 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. Hampton confessed to committing three child abductions in a northern Georgia town, and even confessed to killing a child out on a farm. A clear sky. And in that time, more terrifying and intriguing mysteries would present themselves. Her father, Richard Logan, was the mayor of a small South Carolina town named Saluda. All six victims had a similar look and profile, with all living close to the highway, and they were all sexually assaulted before being abandoned in a public area, bar one, who was not assaulted and later dropped off at a gas station, where she called for help. Research revealed that Lori had married Nathaniel Richardson in February of 1994 and that is where the trail grows cold. He was sentenced to eight years, with time already served. However, police and investigators have yet to find any more of Kia Logan's remains, and remain hopeful that those will turn up some day, allowing them to fully pursue a suspect or person-of-interest in the crimes. They had no evidence that he had actually committed the crime, but they had his confession on-record, and at the very least, he had lied to investigators and caused them to waste valuable time by pursuing him as the suspect. Kia was dead. We began checking missing children cases and conducted three weeks of intensive searches for additional remains, but we didn't find anything.". This search continued until it was too dark, but resumed the next day. Anyone with information on any of Greenwood's homicides is asked to call law enforcement at 911, or police detectives at 864-942-8407. Her older sister and friend stayed at the basketball court for a little while longer. He reported him missing at 10 a.m. that morning. Cold Cases | Charleston, SC - Official Website I am not criticizing the authorities, who are working hard to solve the case. A man and a woman (who have come to be known by Jacques and Jane) were shot three times each. 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. South Carolina's unsolved mysteries - WYFF With these two most recent homicides, the number of unsolved slayings in recent years for Greenwood County climbs to four. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Georgetown has always been a family-type community. When her sisters were questioned, only the 6-year-old stated that a man with a 'magic' hat came and took Jessica away. It hasn't been updated with any of his current information. But Mr. Murdaugh, part of a prominent family of South Carolina lawyers, has denied any involvement in the unsolved killings . When it was discovered by her parents that she was gone there was no trace to follow. You may remain anonymous and possibly receive a cash reward. All these cases are active. 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. Along Mount Pleasant Road also known as the S.C. 34 Highway he came across a badly decomposed human skull, which prompted him to contact the Newberry County Sheriffs Office. After 11'000 days, 30 years and 29 of those years on death row, Edward Lee Elmore was freed in 2012. Dennis Beauford, the deputy who had responded to the incident and originally stayed the night, continued to feel a personal connection to the story. 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. 1-888-CRIME SC (1-888-274-6372) Paul Murdaugh was awaiting trial on a charge of boating under the influence causing death in the crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. When they continued their rounds of questioning, Hampton was eager to talk. Here, the skull would be confirmed as belonging to Kia Logan, with the FBI forensic investigators theorizing that Kia had originaly been killed in Greenwood County and then later dumped in Newberry County. Six have gone unsolved. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. He voluntarily provided blood and hair samples. We are also following up on similar situations that occur in this area and nationwide.". "We're looking for a medium blue utility-type van with dark tinted windows. He immediately provided voluntary consent for police to search his vehicle by signing a Waiver of Constitutional Rights to a Search Warrant - a provision he also signed for a search of his home. Hampton plead not guilty almost instantly. Over the next week, the letter written by Dr. Wiggins inspired many to pledge support to the Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund. Peace stated that Hampton had falsely confessed to "one, maybe two murders in Georgia and one in Columbia. 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. At the scene, officers found a crowd of people with several gathered around a young mans body. Thank you! 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 did not live here. I only say "likely" because I legitimately can't find any record of him online or in the press since 2007. 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. It wasn't until the sister returned to the apartment complex half-an-hour later that anyone realized this eight-year old was missing. He had been previously terminated due to unexcused absences and excessive tardiness, but that didn't stop him from getting into trouble. They did, however, share a similar suspect description of a middle-aged white man with grey stubble, a pockmarked complexion and a tattoo of either a dragon or a snake on one of his biceps. It is believed that the subjects were attempting to rob his neighbor's apartment. 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. You never know if that tiny piece of information could flesh out the full puzzle. However, no evidence has been found to link him to Dail's case and interviews with him have been sadly uninformative. cityofgreenwoodsc.com/departments/police/submit-an-anonymous-tip. Malakia's bike was found near the apartment office. Hampton had been sitting in a Georgia prison at the time, and if South Carolina prosecutors tried the case at that time, they would be forced to bring Hampton to trial within 180 days. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, with credit for time served and good behaviour. There was no identification on them, but it was surmised they were traveling or 'backpacking'. Winds light and variable. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. They also tried to see if her disappearance was tied to other missing persons cases from surrounding states. 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. 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. While police began a search of his home and his vehicle, he openly admitted to several things. 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. 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. The sun was beginning to set, and this eight-year old climbed onto her bike to head back 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. I know that we dont want to think about such things happening in our own backyard, but we must. You will receive your first email soon. I am criticizing the rest of us who thrive in our community yet appear apathetic. He had been handcuffed, bound with duct tape, and shot in the head. A lot of times what you hear law enforcement say is we dont want to give a lot of details out because the case is still pending, he said. His stepfather was watching him in her absence. No closure. In 1990, sadly, her remains were found by a deer hunter. Complete the Cold Case Tip Form (PDF). Her picture appeared on ADVO cards in August and the story was recently on television. Is it twisted thinking? There was a fight among a group of teenagers and several shots were fired. Another witness suggested it could have been a drive-by shooting. Unfortunately, the searches came up with no sign of Kia, or any clue as to what had happened to her. 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. Upon his arrest, he proved very cooperative with law enforcement. His height was listed in the range of 5'8" or 5'9", and he was of slight build, in the weight range of 150 pounds. Through interviews, police learned two or three men had come over to the house prior to the shooting. He was accused of intentionally drilling the holes to Peep on unwitting victims, and arrested shortly after this was discovered. But we can't prove it. Officers spoke with several witnesses who described the vehicle the shooters were in, but have been unable to identify any suspects. 6 Infamous Bone Chilling Unsolved Mysteries In South Carolina And, if his father was a physician in Canada, wouldn't he have been looking for them? A little after nine o'clock that evening, Kia was reported missing to the Greenwood County Sheriff's Department. She never came home with her sister. Murders of Pamela Buckley and James Freund - Wikipedia 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. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. 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. People with information are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Police also found actual pairs of children's underwear in his laundry, which then sent in for forensic testing. However, one of the most interesting notes of this sketch came from a description, which noted that the suspect had a pockmarked face. Riley, a famously tight-lipped officer, stated: "We're treating it strictly as a missing persons report. "The case is 19 years old; the family has been living with it for 19 years. But there were also nude photographs of women - including images of his then-girlfriend - and a pornographic magazine named "Stroke Off Tales.". I'm not the first to ask that question and so many more than me want to know the answer. It's a town of roughly 20,000 people - a population level that hasn't really changed in over thirty years. We dont close out these cases because theyre so important.. It took over a decade, but Kia's parents were finally given answers as to what had happened ot their daughter. She then contacted Lori's daughter and found that she hadn't heard from Lori since 1992. Unfortunately for them, as soon as Hampton went to jail for Peeping Tom, he stopped cooperating with investigators. As of publishing, there have not been any new updates in relation to Kias disappearance and murder, nor about the investigation into it. A bouncer remembers talking to her around 1:30 a.m. before she walked out of the club. The witnesses had described his hair as having a light glow to it, but they couldn't definitively see it. When her sister, Renee, went home approximately twenty to thirty minutes later, she was surprised to find out that Kia had not yet returned. He had bloodstains on his clothes and was trying to tell officers something, but he didnt speak English. It's like a depression has set in.". He was taken to Self Regional Medical Center for treatment, where he died of his injury. Soon, children began playing outside of the Georgetown apartments once again, Kia's disappearance becoming an outlier to a safe community. It happened May 15, 1988, somewhere between the small park that was just 300 yards away from the apartment complex and her door. He was described as being between thirty-five and forty years old, with slender ad pointed facial features. The composite, for all of its intrigue, led to no real suspects in the surrounding area. People were arrested in connection with this case, a report said, but witnesses recanted their statements and the suspects were released for lack of evidence. DNA testing confirmed her identity. 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. It bothers me that we seem willing to accept this obvious crime against a child without a public uproar. You can also contact the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at (803) 737-9000. We must not forget the ones that have left us mysteriously. 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. It is known that her friends lost track of her in the crowd so they assumed that she had a ride home and left. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Murdaugh undergoes cross-examination in his own murder trial. ", "People are definitely keeping small children in. On June 22nd, 2007 - a Friday - the charges against Charles Wade Hampton were suddenly dropped. "Cold cases" isn't the term Greenwood Police Chief T.J. Chaudoin likes to use for his department's unsolved homicides. Titled "The Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund," it hope to incentivize anyone with information to come forward. That's really bad for the family. "Reading his statement, you'd think that only the person who did that would know those details. Officers did find an air pistol at a nearby street corner, along with a car with a shot-out window. Most concerning, though, were torn out magazine images of children - a discovery that made investigators think that there might be more to this deviant than meets the eye. Love South Carolina? Not only did he have a snake tattoo on his upper arm, but he appeared eager to help investigators, giving blood and hair samples, as well as granting them permission to search his car and home. 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.". The author of the newspaper article noted that as she spoke about her daughter, Bernetta was clutching a photo of Kia. 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. He described not only his sex life - which included sex with both genders - but his prior criminal history. Bullets damaged the window of a residence and shot through a TV inside. You can not have good without a bad. They tried to use the dental records and skull reconstruction techniques available to them, in an effort to determine if the skull was Kia's, but nothing was positively confirmed. When they searched his home, they found several photographs of children in underwear, as well as various photos of nude adults - including pictures of Hampton himself. Cold cases and unsolved crimes in Greenwood, SC. Police checked for fingerprints and gunshot residue, along with pulling Parkers phone records to identify who he had spoken with. On May 15th, 1988, all seemed to be well in the world. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. At the scene, people were scrambling into cars and driving off, including someone driving Hawkins to the hospital for treatment. According to investigators, theyd managed to uncover strong evidence linking Hampton to Kias murder, including a version of events that included details only someone involved would know, which was enough for a Greenwood County grand jury to indict him on the charges. In the weeks since Kia had gone missing, Bernetta struggled to leave the phone for any prolonged period of time. This was when he was transferred to a jail in Greenwood county - the same county where Kia Logan had disappeared from in 1988. Login; . It's a reminder of unfinished business.". As another family started mourning Tuesday, Greenwood law enforcement had another shooting on their hands to solve. The authorities are opening a new investigation into an unsolved 2015 death as a result of information gleaned after two . We're scraping the bottom right now.". The charges against Hampton was dropped due to lack of evidence. If you know any information about this crime, you can contact the Greenwood County Sheriff's Department at (864) 942-8600. 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. 1)The only theory in the case is that Charles Wade Hampton is the person who abducted and murder Kia. Her father was the mayor of Saluda, a small town in South Carolina, and her mother was a teacher at a local middle school. While investigators were still interviewing witnesses and scouring evidence, like video from nearby security cameras along Pearl Street, for any leads, they had to begin working on the next shooting. I had dreams that maybe she's been in California or somewhere all this time.". 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. He has a folder in his office with the reports on each of these cases, and he said hes read some of them upwards of 15 times. Charles Hampton agreed to give up blood and hair samples to investigators. By September 15th, Kia had been missing for four months. 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. Unsolved Crimes - Crime Stoppers of The Midlands It is the yin and yang; balance in all things. The Greenwood County Sheriffs Office can be reached at 864-942-8632, or by calling CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. South Carolina's unsolved mysteries Greenville, SC 29601 62 Light Rain 90% MORE No Alerts & Closings in Your Area Sign Up to Get Future Alerts 1 / 2 Advertisement TOP PICKS South. 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. Anyone with information on any of Greenwoods homicides is asked to call law enforcement at 911, or police detectives at 864-942-8407. During these searches, they uncovered many out-of-place items, as well as images of nude women and adults, a pornographic magazine, torn-out magazine images of children and several photographs of children in their underwear. Edward Lee Elmore: Free After 29 Years On Death Row - Crime Traveller 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. 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. No one was hurt when multiple shots were fired early Saturday in the area of Piedmont Avenue and Edgefield Street. Unidentified Remains The SLED Forensic Art Unit assists local law enforcement agencies in Unidentified Remains cases. However, no calls were received and the real investigation into her disappearance began. A random child abduction that went "sour" - usually a byproduct of a victim choosing to fight back, or attempting to run away. While in a Georgia prison, investigators in North Carolina and Florida were looking at Hamptons potential involvement in similar abductions and assaults in their states, as the abductions stopped as soon as he was locked up. This year my daughter Renee will go, but I will stay here to answer the phone, just in case. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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.". Anyone with information about Sumter County's unsolved cases is asked to use the following methods to provide a crucial tip: Sumter County Sheriff's Office . They searched pretty exhaustively for around three weeks, unable to locate any more remains other than the skull. On May 18, 1988, police released a statement to the public, which informed residents that two men were seen in the vicinity of the apartment complex on the afternoon Kia went missing. 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. 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. 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.". Investigators in Union County asking for help in 9 unsolved murder cases She had one sister, named Renee, and the three lived in an apartment complex just north of Greenwood, South Carolina. 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. 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. Pity us if we don't! It had been nearly five years since the original indictment was filed, accusing him of the abduction and murder of Kia Logan. On this Sunday afternoon, in the middle of May, all seemed to be well. By this point, her family had begun to fear the worst. 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. Higher means more crime, U.S. average is 254.8. We won't share it with anyone else. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Witnesses said they heard the shooting and one gave a description of a suspect but left before officers could question them further. Gwen is an author, artist, illustrator, graphic designer, mother, wife, and part-time super hero.
Kate Lavender Ex Wife Of Richard Lavender,
Round Robin Team Roping Spreadsheet,
Largest Ihop Franchisees,
Articles U