Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! After the fire was called in, neighbors gathered outside. The victim, David Pugach, was shot in the parking lot after a confrontation with a male who was riding a moped. 5C Albert Adams, known as "New York" in the Greenline community, was shot and killed on the front porch of his apartment. Isaiah Odom - DC# 23-17-003163 . Spartanburg County deputies released this flier of a man investigators want to talk to about the unsolved killings of four people on the Superbike Motorsports motorcycle shop in Chesnee, S.C., in . Authorities, after all, had already connected Little to the September 1978 murder of 19-year . Related Stories From YourTango: . The charges against Hampton was dropped due to lack of evidence. But who knows, maybe in time they'll solve it.". "About two weeks before his death I was trying to have a conversation with him and his wife was sitting behind him and making faces. And right now I'm heading over to his office to have his body exhumed so I can have a DNA test done.'". Could these gruesome murders be connected to an eerily similar triple homicide that happened just five months before in a neighboring town? "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. The victim died later at the hospital of his injuries. The witness ran for help and asked people in a nearby house to call 911. "The evidence in some is better than in others." Gun violence affecting kids: Why we need to talk about gun violence affecting kids. On Aug.21, around 9:32 p.m., officersresponded to 116 James H. Young St.in reference to a breaking and entering with shots being fired. Twenty-eight years later, the triple homicide remains unsolved, among 46 cases in Spartanburg County dating back to 1970. And was someone willing to kill because of it? Wright said the killer was neighbor Roger Wayne Switzer, who died of a heart attack in 2008. 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. 8045 Howard St. 4 min read Mary, Thomas and son David Johnson were found stabbed to death in the bedroom of their Cedar Street home in Clifton in early 1993. Delta 88. Columbia with 29. "He had looked at several different properties.". To date, no one has been charged for killing Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, who were shot to death multiple times near dog kennels on the 1,700-acre property. The $25,000 reward is only being offered for one year. But we do need help.. In 1963, the homicide clearance rate nationwide was 91 percent. Nothing was missing and there was no evidence of a sexual assault, he said. Six people were shot and two were killed during the incident and standoff. (and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act On July 11, officers responded to Concord Avenue and Norris Street in reference to a shooting. Earlier this month, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Kevin Bobo said the cold case investigator was aware of the case, but did not provide any update. Another year, and it seems like it was an eternity, Maxine Kennedy said. Though theawful ache of losing her mother has never gone away, her daughter Ashley has helped herself heal by becoming a dedicated victims advocate. Missing front bumper strip and turn signal He also has cleared some people who bragged about the case. Melissa was adamant that police had it all wrong. Investigators said Bradshaw was brutally beaten. Bond for the weapons charge was set at $3,500 on Sunday. Teen Dies from Gunshot Wound May 10, 2008 Submit a Tip [Spartanburg City] On May 10, 2008, Marion J. Seven minutes, four lives, one gun. Police identified the couple, though officially they have only been treated as witnesses, and have never been connected to the crime. Thats where the investigation into the brutal murder stayed for a decade. Three months after the murders, daughter-in-law Elizabeth Johnson, the surviving son Keith's wife, expressed frustration at extensive questioning of her and her husband. On November 6th, 2003, four people Brian Thomas Lucas, Scott Ponder, Beverly Guy and Chris Sherbert were murdered in cold blood at Superbike Motorsports on Parris Bridge Road, Chesnee, SC. A red vehicle was seen driving away from the bank three minutes later after the incident occurred. Avenue. CLIFTON, S.C. . "They never bothered anyone," Ken Coggins, minister of music at Second Baptist Church in Clifton, told the Herald-Journal at the time. The Unsolved Quadruple Murder at Superbike Motorsports in Chesnee REDUX. 2. 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). Ponder's friend Noel spoke to him before he drove to the shop on the morning of Nov. 6, 2003. Fisher said recent developments in DNA testing and the use of lasers to lift fingerprints Johnson could help solve old crimes. But as similarly brutal as both murder scenes were, they don't believe the two crimes are connected. On Sept. 5, around 9:50 p.m., officers responded to 601 Farley Ave. in reference to a disturbance where shots were being fired. "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. Potentially every one of these cases could be cleared, said William Gary, the investigator assigned to the departments cold cases. And Scott Ponder's was closer to the parked cars here in the parking lot.". Officers discovered the victim was shot once. At around 6:30PM on July 31, 1995, she . They scoured Roebuck for the vehicle and turned up a possible match: Mary Ann Vick, one of Dana's customers, had a similar car. Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. Hes now 21 and, still, no one has been arrested for his mothers murder. Ad Choices. The incidents occurred during the early morning hours of February 28, 2021. "They extensively interviewed Melissa and I know that our daughter-in-law was spoken to at the house," said Lorraine. No ID or clothing was found at the scene. Thats not Crystal.'. 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. The groups were chasing each other and Hinson got out of his car at the intersection of Asheville Highway and California Avenue to talk to the other group. Police interviewedVicks former girlfriend, who spoke of his violent streak. Twenty-eight years later, the triple homicide remains unsolved, among 46 cases in Spartanburg County dating back to 1970. List of unsolved murders (before 1900) List of unsolved murders (1900-1979) List of unsolved murders (1980-1999) List of unsolved murders (2000-present) See also [ edit] Cold case Forensic science Officials said the realization came after gunfire erupted along Vista Drive in Moore, southwest of Spartanburg. The investigation revealed that the deceased was the primary aggressor. The only surviving son was Keith Johnson, who declined to be interviewed by a reporter the day after the gruesome discovery. David was the oldest. 'It was chaos': Neighbors describe tense Spartanburg standoff scene near Cleveland Park. Gary said he got some information about somebody who was out that night and drove the same type of car, a green late 1960s model Plymouth Fury. Detectives turned their attention to a witness report ofseeing a white and blue vehicle in the area that raised a red flag. On August 9, 1976, two unidentified homicide victims, later nicknamed . Criminal justice officials say one reason fewer cases nationwide are being solved is because of an increase in drug-related and gang-related murders. The victim, Timothy Pitts, fell to the ground striking his head on the sidewalk. "[Scott's wife] Melissa was newly pregnant, and after the baby was born they did do a DNA test on a diaper they took from there," said Lorraine. Authorities have charged Kohlhepp, 45, with four counts of. Blood stains were found in the kitchen, in the den around the telephone, and on a chair, according to Seay. Herald-Journal 0:06 1:07 Spartanburg Police Department indicates eight homicides resulting in 11 deaths in 2021 have been solved, according to Police Maj. Art Littlejohn. The jury deliberated for less than 20 minutesbefore returning with a guilty verdict ofall counts:murder, criminal sexual conduct, and kidnapping. Sometimes, a case is solved, often with the help of forensic science. Key findings. Mary Johnson, 77; her husband, Thomas Johnson, 81; and her son David Johnson, 43, were all found stabbed to death at their home at 270 Cedar St. in Clifton on Jan. 9, 1993.On Friday, Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright held a news conference to discuss the case and announced a reward. "And they pulled me in a room and shut the door. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! May 22, 2017. David Moore described the Clifton community as "close-knit people. At least a dozen people have been interviewed, but theres one man with whom Gary really wants to talk. 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. 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. New evidence from a triple homicide in Spartanburg County in 1993 is now being analyzed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Spartanburg, SC 29303. Spartanburg County Sheriff's Department hide caption toggle caption A son. Investigators combed the house and surrounding area, looking for clues. A year went by, then two. She was found not guilty in 2015. All four victims were transported by ambulance to Spartanburg Medical Center to be treated for their injuries. Another son was killed in a car accident 10 years earlier. (Spinx Station) in reference to a shooting. Year over year crime in Spartanburg has increased by 2%. During an interview, she nervously explained that she came face to facewith the man for just a second. Other paranormal phenomena are also regularly reported here. 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. You just learn how to live with it, so this is kind of my way of living with it.. You just learn how to live with it, so this is kind of my way of living with it., To learn more about the case, watch In Ice Cold Blood, airing. "They actually told her they had proof," said Terry Guy. Lets Eat at Waynes Lunchbox in Spindale, N.C. 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(and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act On July 23, around 9:03 p.m., officers responded to 151 Palisade St.in reference to a drive-by shooting. The playing cards are distributed in all of SC 28 Correction Facilities as well as local jails and detention centers. Everyone is urged to participate in the program and is encouraged to develop the idea in their city and or state. Hospital employees informed police that the victim, Patrick Dirk Thomas, was dropped off by an unknown subject in a personally owned vehicle. On July 8, officers responded to 348 Winsmith Ave. On July 9, officers responded to 1605 John B. Privacy Policy | Cold cases and unsolved crimes in Horry County, SC. Bradshaws estranged husband and her boyfriend have been cleared. He was transported by ambulance to Spartanburg Medical Center to be treated for his injuries. Mary Johnson, 77; her husband, Thomas . 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. "And once their DNA did not match up, they knew that there had been a mistake made down at the crime scene," said Melissa. Get Alerts Map; Browse By State; Submit a Crime Tip Square with arrow pointing upper right. Why my child? Todd Christopher Kohlhepp ( n Sampsell; born March 7, 1971) is an American serial killer, sex offender, and mass murderer convicted of murdering seven people in South Carolina between 2003 and 2016. But whoever that was was believed to have been the shooter.". All rights reserved. The victim, who had bruises on her body, was suspended an inch or so above the floor. before returning with a guilty verdict ofall counts:murder, criminal sexual conduct, and kidnapping. You can call Investigator Diane Lestage at (864) 503-4556. 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. Crystal Bradshaw was getting her life back together. Days after the brutal killing, Vick, then 17, threatened . Bob Montgomery, Herald-Journal. 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. Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. This crime is one of the oldest unsolved murder cases in Oregon history. Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office - Unsolved Homicides | Spartanburg SC Why her? "There are some people that have direct knowledge but whatever information you have, please call to report what you know about this case. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, USC defeats Georgia 61-55 to secure first SEC home, Trapped Californians rescued from snow, helped by, NC schools see spike in reported violence numbers, Chase Elliott out of NASCAR indefinitely after tibia, Top seeded USC cruises past Ole Miss 80-51 to reach, Furman uses a 32-6 second half run to defeat Mercer, Hornung hits go-ahead 3-run HR in 7th to lead #23, CCES rolls past Scotts Branch 63-41 to win 1A Boys, The Foreign Landers Perform on Your Carolina, NorthStar Financial Wants you to be Ready for Retirement. I don't have a bit of faith in them. He wasnt the original investigator, but hes been working on it since Day 2. 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. (Spinx Station), officers responded to Concord Avenue and Norris Street. 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. BACK IN 1993, THOMAS AND MARY JOHNSON AND EITHR SON VIDDA WHERE KILLED IN THEIR HOME. Call my attorney. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. That has fallen to less than 45 percent today. Whatever the motive, this horrific case still remains unsolved and police need the public's help bringing the killer to justice. The crime became known as "The Superbike Murders" and it seemed as senseless as it was cold-blooded. Two teenagers, Joshua. If you have any information about the murder of this family, call the Anderson County Sheriff's Office at (864) 260-4400 or call the Anderson Area Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Was Wright the perpetrator of the Blue Ridge Bank murders, and could he have also gunned down four people at Superbike Motorsports just five months later? He was transported to the hospital where he died later. How do you lie down and sleep at night? But there were signs of a struggle, as all three suffered broken ribs,Richard Seay, then-chief investigator with the Coroner's Office, said at the time. New evidence from a triple homicide in Spartanburg County in 1993 is now being analyzed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. They managed to secure both. They say in the 1960s and 1970s about 70 percent of victims and murderers knew each other. Given the growth of our sub over the last eight months, I'm revisiting . Featuring cold cases throughout the state of SC. The suspect was arrested a few days later based on investigative findings. I cant say he didnt do it by any means, the investigator said. Is your conscious turned off?. Landry said there have been eight to nine unsolved murders, but the Abbeville Police Department has given information on only five. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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 . The man charged with abducting an Anderson woman and keeping her chained in a metal storage shed on his property has implicated himself in a 13-year-old unsolved murder of four at a Chesnee . Dana was discovered partially naked, and detectives suspected that there had been a sexual assault. Neighbors were interviewed. They got into a fight with people in another car. Beverly, also in the back, appears to have been ambushed while stepping out of the bathroom. Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock Steven Fisher, 20, and his girlfriend Melisa Gregory, 17, were bludgeoned to death on a ranch northwest of Newton, Iowa, in 1983. But some cases just stick with you more.. Mary Johnson, 77; her husband, Thomas Johnson, 81; and her son David Johnson, 43, were all found stabbed to death at their home at 270 Cedar St. in Clifton on Jan. 9, 1993. He killed himself two years after the Greer incident during a police pursuit. 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. Thats not my baby. Her contact number is 864-503-4556, and her email address is dlestage@spartanburgcounty.org. In 2021, only . He was shot. In one case, the suspect died five years later, but the case is still open. On Dec. 9, officers responded to 109 Brandywine Lane in reference to a murder/suicide. "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. But after several months, the investigation stalls. Open or Unsolved Transgender Homicides; 2023 Anyone with information is asked to contact the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office at (864) 503-4600 or Senior Investigator Diane Lestage at (864) 503-4556 or dlestage@spartanburgcounty.org . Investigators released a sketch to the public. "They actually told Melissa that Scott wasn't the father of the baby -- that Brian was," said Terry Guy. "What he said was that they compared my husband's DNA to his mother's DNA, which was all gathered at the crime scene, and they did not match up," said Melissa. 48 Cause of Death. "Me and Melissa sat down and talked, and I told her, I said, 'I'm going to ask you a question, I want you to be honest: Did you have anything to do with it? Warner Bros. Entertainment | NWS confirms tornado damage in Laurens, Spartanburg, Car buyers frustrated after dealership closes, Murdaugh judges own legal story unfolded in South, Man arrested after 2 found dead inside business, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. New evidence in Spartanburg County triple homicide from 1993 now being analyzed, sheriff says, AMARI SHOULD CALL 1.91 IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, A FAMILY IS OFFERING $10,000 IN A COLD CASE THAT IS 29 YEARS OLD. "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. 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. 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. 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. Not only that, but they know who did it: 39-year-old career criminal Emmerson Wright. Bradshaws murder is one of 40 unsolved homicide cases for the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office. I said to them, 'You no longer have the liberty to talk to me anymore. In many of these cases, there were witnesses, but they may not be willing to share the needed information for the investigators to prosecute cases. 2023 Spartanburg Sheriff. Their bodies were out here out front of the store," said Daniel Gross, a crime reporter for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.