He had bloodstains on his clothes and was trying to tell officers something, but he didnt speak English. 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! Does it not bother you, as it does me, that our community, with a few exceptions, seems to be showing little aggressive concern over the mysterious disappearance of one of our children, Kia Logan? He had been previously terminated due to unexcused absences and excessive tardiness, but that didn't stop him from getting into trouble. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Three days following Hawkins slaying, police found about 40 shell casings in the area around 526 Sumter St. Just like the details he provided: he knew some information about these locales, but not all of the minute details. Malakia Kia Zali Logan was born on August 1, 1979 to parents Richard and Bernetta Logan. People with information are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Hawkins had been standing with friends at about 3 a.m. that morning when a drive-by shooting left him hit once with a bullet that would later kill him, according to officials. Theyre experiencing the most horrific thing thats probably ever happened to them in their life, Chaudoin said. 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. According to investigators, theyd had a case against him since 2000 and hed, in fact, been a suspect since 1996. Three years later, in 1996, Newberry County investigators asked a private genetics lab in North Carolina to perform mitochondrial DNA testing, using DNA obtained from Kias parents, which suggested the skull did, in fact, belong to Kia, a fact that was confirmed upon the skull being sent to the FBI lab in Washington in 1998. The prosecutors consulted Kia's family throughout this process, taking their feelings into consideration. He voluntarily provided blood and hair samples. The Greenwood County Sheriffs Office can be reached at 864-942-8632, or by calling CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. 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. Subscribe Now:. He also had a blotchy, pockmarked face, made worse from poison ivy exposure the year prior. Hampton plead not guilty almost instantly. No one was hurt when multiple shots were fired early Saturday in the area of Piedmont Avenue and Edgefield Street. Those early tests were inconclusive, relying on DNA found in the skull itself in very primitive ways. He did not live here. They had been playing basketball together when Malakia decided to go home. Map Browse By State. Pity us if we don't! 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. 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 . 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. 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. The authorities are opening a new investigation into an unsolved 2015 death as a result of information gleaned after two . We must not forget the ones that have left us mysteriously. A campus podcast with chilling repercussions. 8th Circuit Solicitor Jerry Peace, who had replaced William Townes Jones in the preceding half-decade, had plenty to say about this decision. Login; . In all of the sexual assaults, the victim profile remained largely the same. As an adult, he stood about five-feet-eight-inches tall, weighing it at only 132 pounds. Examining the world of solved and unsolved cases. It was occupied by an older white male with graying hair. Sometime in the middle of the night, a man stole her from the bedroom without waking her. A random child abduction that went "sour" - usually a byproduct of a victim choosing to fight back, or attempting to run away. 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.. Police have long theorized that the abduction - and later murder - of Kia Logan was a crime of opportunity. Early on in questioning, Charles admitted that he often changed his hair color. Her father was the mayor of Saluda, a small town in South Carolina, and her mother was a teacher at a local middle school. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. So, he'll be back on the street. Charles Hampton agreed to give up blood and hair samples to investigators. It happened May 15, 1988, somewhere between the small park that was just 300 yards away from the apartment complex and her door. Titled "The Malakia Z. Logan Reward Fund," it hope to incentivize anyone with information to come forward. At the scene, people were scrambling into cars and driving off, including someone driving Hawkins to the hospital for treatment. However, Kia lived with her mother, Bernetta Logan Baylor, who was a teacher at a nearby middle school. 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. He described not only his sex life - which included sex with both genders - but his prior criminal history. The composite, for all of its intrigue, led to no real suspects in the surrounding area. Through interviews, police learned two or three men had come over to the house prior to the shooting. About two weeks earlier, Cody Hawkins was shot in an apparent drive-by shooting May 19 on Pearl Street, close to Osborne Avenue. Neighbors cameras didnt offer much, but one witness said he saw a black sedan leave speeding from the area. In an idling SUV, Sherwin Gittens was found dead by police. In 2009, the Malakia Logan Memorial Scholarship was established at her hometown's Lander University. Officers spoke to a witness who said they were near Hawkins when he was shot. Throughout the 30+ year investigation, various leads and suspects would come and go. Video from the area showed a car with someone hanging out of the back passenger window and firing. He had green eyes, with brown hair, a brown mustache, and a few days' worth of graying stubble at the time of his arrest in 1996. Witnesses told officers they saw two men running from Pearl Street onto Osborne Avenue. He also had scars along his right arm and stomach, which matched up with what one of the younger victims had described. Nor am I criticizing those who have helped so far or those concerned citizens who have contributed to the present approximately $3000 reward. Officers did find an air pistol at a nearby street corner, along with a car with a shot-out window. The DNA testing from the six sexual assaults linked them together, indicating that a single suspect was behind each of the crimes - however, none of those samples matched up with Hampton himself. Renee arrived home approximately 15 to 20 minutes later and it was discovered that Kia had not returned. You can also contact the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at (803) 737-9000. 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. There was a fight among a group of teenagers and several shots were fired. Winds light and variable. Unfortunately, this didn't seem remiss and then in 2007, her mother passed away and that is where the story begins. 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. 5C Albert Adams, known as "New York" in the Greenline community, was shot and killed on the front porch of his apartment. I feel confident such an impressive reward, with the proper publicity, will help the authorities solve this mystery AND our community may well have made the solution possible. Police took Hampton out of jail, and drove him to many of the landmarks and locations from the child abductions. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. She lived with her mother and her sister, Renee, in an apartment complex just north of the rural city of Greenwood, South Carolina. Sending it off for testing, they had to hope that they could uncover any evidence that could help lead them to the culprit. It was a crime where no sexual assault had taken place, but centered around the abduction of a seven-year old victim in 1995. In the afternoons you see small children running and playing, riding skateboards, that kind of thing. "Maybe he did it, maybe he didn't. Crime in Greenwood, South Carolina (SC): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map All Cities South Carolina, South Carolina smaller cities, South Carolina small towns Greenwood main page US Crime Crime rate in Greenwood, South Carolina (SC) However, three - which took place in the middle of this crime spree - took place on a Thursday. 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. Unfortunately, the searches came up with no sign of Kia, or any clue as to what had happened to her. Sadly, he wasn't too far off. "We're now awaiting requests from law enforcement for further assistance. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. At around 8:15pm, Kia decided she wanted to return home and thus grabbed her bike and left. He also soon recanted all of his prior confessions, meaning that police had to start back from square one. Contact staff writer Damian Dominguez at 864-634-7548 or follow on twitter @IJDDOMINGUEZ. Despite that, police wouldn't have any real leads to follow up on until October of the next year, 1990. Thats why its so important that we build that relationship with the community and we have that working relationship, he said. This is when police spoke to Hampton's ex-wife and girlfriend, who told them things about Charles that made them think he was a viable suspect. On October 1, 1990, a deer hunter was walking along a pasture in a wooded area on US Forest Service Property in Newberry County, South Carolina. I'm not the first to ask that question and so many more than me want to know the answer. 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. 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. Kia was a third grade student at Merrywood Elementary School. They combed around the Georgetown Apartments for most of the night, until the lack of light eventually led to them turning it around. He and. We're scraping the bottom right now.". 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. Dennis Beauford, one of the first deputies to arrive at the scene, stated: "It was a pretty Sunday afternoon. Soon, the one-year anniversary of Kia's disappearance had come-and-gone. Police would find out what happened to this little girl over the years, but it would take time, advancements in DNA technology, and the persistence of dedicated investigators. The documentation for this case included a lead sheet filed in April 2020, where an officer detailed dozens of interviews done in this case, along with tips detectives have followed up on. It was this apartment complex where, on a Sunday evening in the middle of May, everything seemed right with the world. More than 20 shell casings of three different calibers were found in the road, along with a .45-caliber handgun in a mulch pile near where Hawkins was shot. A clear sky. On October 1st, 1990 - a Monday - a hunter was in an area just outside of Newberry, South Carolina. It was August 9, 1976, on a deserted road in Sumter County, SC, when a trucker happened upon the scene of the murders. I know that we dont want to think about such things happening in our own backyard, but we must. Many of these details matched up with what police had heard from the victims themselves - but others did not. This would come up later in the story, so please keep that in-mind. Not only were Georgia and South Carolina preparing cases against him, but North Carolina and Florida were investigating him for similar child abductions and sexual assaults in their states. Remember, this is before the trial of OJ Simpson, so DNA testing was very much in its infancy. 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. The author of the newspaper article noted that as she spoke about her daughter, Bernetta was clutching a photo of Kia. He openly confessed to committing several of the child abductions, providing explicit details of the subsequent sexual assaults. As Hampton prepared for his five-year sentence, he was facing investigations and charges from four separate states. But there were also nude photographs of women - including images of his then-girlfriend - and a pornographic magazine named "Stroke Off Tales.". We won't share it with anyone else. 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.". Discuss Greenwood, South Carolina (SC) on our hugely popular South Carolina forum. The Disappearance of Nguyet Thu Wiki Phung, Case Update: Brittanee Drexels Remains Discovered After 13 Years, SuspectCharged, The Disappearances of Tina & BethanySinclair. Sam Riley, who had been a Major in the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, had recently been elected Sheriff. Thank you! Cold cases and unsolved crimes in Greenwood, SC. This was a random act, which seems to be his technique.". Officers spoke with several witnesses who described the vehicle the shooters were in, but have been unable to identify any suspects. Winds light and variable.. A clear sky. The case surrounding Kias disappearance was initially investigated as a simple missing persons report. When her sisters were questioned, only the 6-year-old stated that a man with a 'magic' hat came and took Jessica away. At least nine unsolved murder cases in Union County have investigators asking the public . This not being enough, the skull would later be sent to an FBI lab in 1998. He was more than willing to continue talking, even answering questions about his prior sexual assault conviction from 1981. She didn't want to miss any potential calls from Kia. 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. Another description was vague, calling it simply an older model white compact or subcompact with blue interior. It was early morning, October 2001 on Interstate 526. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. By September 15th, Kia had been missing for four months. What he had told them was intriguing at face-value, but there was nothing incriminating: it was as-if he was saying enough to keep police on-the-hook, but not enough to actually be charged with any crimes. Police department Public Information Officer Jonathan Link said investigators are continuing to work with the information theyve gathered in each of these cases, and that theyve tried to get more information through interviewing witnesses and other people of interest. At the time of his arrest, he was forty-four years old, and was driving a white 1986 Dodge 600. He had been in police custody, and when questioned, he began confessing to the crimes. Renee and their friend decided to stay at the court for a short while longer. "The murder kidnapping and criminal sexual misconduct charges have been dropped. But, let a Carolina or a Clemson sports event take the forefront and emotions bubble over throughout the community. Part of me is missing and I need to find it.". However, it wasn't until 2002 that prosecutors began firing off the big guns at Hampton. Anyone with information on any of Greenwood's homicides is asked to call law enforcement at 911, or police detectives at 864-942-8407. Bullets damaged the window of a residence and shot through a TV inside. In 1990, sadly, her remains were found by a deer hunter. 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. In fact, police noted that he might have been a little TOO eager at times. Then, when her family and former-sheriff Sam Riley got involved, they realized that the initial reward fund - which had been established for information - had remained untouched for around two decades. 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. They were just a few hundred or so yards from their apartment, where the sisters lived with their mother, a middle school teacher. Use at your own risk. Carolyn Kelley, the apartment/property manager that lived in the apartments with her daughter and granddaughter, had noticed a complete overhaul of the environment. There are just no leads or evidence to go on even though the police push every avenue they come across. Police spoke with about 20 people in the area, but few had anything to report. The investigation to find her had still gone nowhere truly productive, with police beginning to expand their search out of the area according to some in the police department, even out of the state. They were able to release a composite of him, which aired on the evening news, along with a description of his vehicle, which was believed to be a mid-1970s dark blue or black Chevrolet Monte Carlo. 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. Kia and her sister, Renee, were playing with some friends on the basketball court, when Kia decided to turn in at around 8:30 PM. On May 30th, over two weeks after Kia had disappeared, investigators were still optimistic. Police and prosecutors seemed certain at the time of this indictment - November 6th, 2002 - that Charles Hampton was responsible for the abduction and murder of Malakia Zali Logan. A little after nine o'clock that evening, Kia was reported missing to the Greenwood County Sheriff's Department. Victims advocates play an important role in communicating with the families of people killed, and officers work to be up-front and communicate often with the families. She loves to tackle her dreams head on and takes life by storm. The physical search didn't produce any leads or clues. You will receive your first email soon. 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. 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'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. Research revealed that Lori had married Nathaniel Richardson in February of 1994 and that is where the trail grows cold. 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. 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. Contact staff writer Damian Dominguez at 864-634-7548 or follow on Twitter @IJDDOMINGUEZ.

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