Captured: Slaying suspect from Greenwood
arrested after manhunt, wild chase

Man is suspect in pawn shop killing

August 16, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL, JOANIE BAKER and LESLIE DRAFFIN
Index-Journal staff writers

A Greenwood man wanted in connection with the weekend shooting death of a Greenville pawn shop owner is in custody following a wild car chase that wove through Laurens County.
Benjamin Erik Case, 23, is charged with murder, armed robbery, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, assault and battery with intent to kill and unlawful possession of a weapon.
More than 100 guns were stolen from a Greenville pawn shop where the owner, Timothy Henson, was killed and an employee injured during a weekend robbery, authorities say.
Case was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Laurens County following a pursuit at speeds of more than 100 mph that involved the use of tire spikes to end the chase, said Laurens Police Chief Robin Morse.
Police say Case carjacked a van from a woman at gunpoint after ditching a stolen ’80s-model Corvette, which they say he took after abandoning a stolen Ford F-150 truck.
After the spikes punctured the Corvette’s tires, it took several minutes before the car stopped at the intersection of S.C. 76 and Stagecoach Road.
Police say Case jumped out of the Corvette and pulled a woman out of the van at gunpoint and attempted to drive away. Morse said he and other Laurens police and Laurens County sheriff’s officers blocked his path with their vehicles.
Case was attempting to ram Morse’s SUV out of the way when officers fired on the van, officials said. Several bullets passed through the windshield. One bullet went through the driver’s-side headrest where Case was sitting, Morse said.
Case raised his hands in the car and surrendered once police opened fire, Morse said.
No one was injured during the incident.
“This is why people need to ride around with their doors locked,” Morse said.
A revolver was found on the passenger seat of the van, authorities said. Two spent rounds were found in the gun, Morse said.
Laurens police, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division participated in the pursuit and capture.
The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office also discovered an abandoned white Dodge Ram pickup truck Monday in Gray Court, Laurens County Sheriff Ricky Chastain said. The truck had been reported stolen from Greenwood County.
Jewelry worth about $1,000 was found near the abandoned truck, according to a Laurens County incident report. Weapons were also found near the truck, which was damaged.
Police connected the abandoned truck to Case after finding his credit card nearby, the incident report said.
Chastain said police suspected Case might have been in the Waterloo area in Laurens County about 10:30 a.m Tuesday.
Greenwood County and Laurens County sheriff’s deputies searched several locations where Case was thought to be hiding when a cashier at the Superette convenience store on Riverfork Road in Waterloo spotted Case at 1:30 p.m., Chastain said. A green Ford F-150 was reported stolen from the store’s parking lot.
A few hours later, police say Case broke into a home on Dodson Road in Waterloo, took the keys to a Corvette and abandoned the truck, Chastain said.
The S.C. Highway Patrol then joined the manhunt for Case.
A highway patrolman saw the Corvette speeding toward Laurens on Riverfork Road, Chastain said. The Corvette then turned onto S.C. 221. Laurens police joined the chase inside the city and placed tire spikes on S.C. 76.
Greenville and Laurens County are also investigating a motel room in Clinton where Case might have stayed, Chastain said.
Case was spotted earlier in the week driving a black Nissan Maxima, the Greenville Sheriff’s Office said. The car was reported stolen from Greenwood County.
Sunday in Greenville, a gunman came into the Fast Cash Pawn Shop about 2:30 p.m. and killed the shop owner. An employee was injured but called 911 after the suspect left and was able to describe the shooter. The man left with more than 100 firearms.
Investigators also think the suspect told at least one customer in the parking lot that the pawn shop was closed, deputies said.
Another Greenwood man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the case as a result of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office assisting in the 30-hour investigation.
Andrew Brooks Moore, 19, of 103 Forest Road East, was charged as an accessory to a felony. Officers reportedly found several stolen weapons and jewelry connected to the Greenville case.
At Case’s last known address, which is 1211-B McCormick Highway, things were calm late Tuesday after authorities descended on the home earlier in the day. At least five residents of the neighborhood said they did not know Case. Two said they had seen Case but hadn’t talked to him.
One resident, Ronnie Snelling, said people in the neighborhood had complained about the upkeep of Case’s yard. Greenwood County Sheriff Dan Wideman described the teamwork between counties and the work of deputies as “almost superhuman in regard to endurance” and added that he is proud of his deputies and all of the officers involved in the investigation.
“When we get hit by major cases like this, we move into high gear and attack the investigation with a vengeance,” Wideman said. “It was great to see that all of the agencies involved had that same attitude.”
Wideman added that, in addition to the law enforcement officers directly involved with the ad hoc task force, the group received invaluable assistance and support from the Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office, the McCormick County Sheriff’s Office, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Laurens Police Department.
“I can’t thank everyone involved enough,” Wideman said. “We felt a real sense of responsibility to bring these two in, especially since they both lived right here in Greenwood.”
Although the Laurens Police Department arrested Case and the Greenwood Sheriff’s Office arrested Brooks, the case is now in the hands of Greenville County.
“This is their case, and we respect that,” Wideman said. “I’m just glad we were able to help.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Lila W. Bagwell

NEWBERRY — Lila Woodson Bagwell, 94, widow of Hardy L. “Pete” Bagwell, of Springfield Place, died Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006 at her home.
Born in Anderson County, she was a daughter of the late Eugene F. and Cordelia Browning Woodson. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Ervin Bagwell of North Myrtle Beach and Ron Bagwell of Newberry; six grandchildren; a great-grandchild.
Services are 2 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Visitation is 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Whitaker Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ron Bagwell, 1516 Boundary St.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 1020 Boundary St., Newberry, SC 29108.
Whitaker Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.

John Daniel Coleman Sr.

ABBEVILLE — John Daniel Coleman Sr., 55, of 2670 Secession Ave. Extension, husband of Shirley Ann Lomax Coleman, died Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006 at Abbeville Area Medical Center.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of Eliza Morton Coleman and the late Wayman Coleman Jr. He was a 1968 graduate of J.S. Wright High School and a retired employee of CSC Transportation. A member of Long Cane AME Church, he served as a class leader, church school teacher and on the Steward Board and Finance Committee.
Survivors include his wife of the home; his mother of Abbeville; three sons, Kelvin L. Coleman of the home, Karlin T. Coleman of Atlanta and John Daniel Coleman Jr. of Abbeville; two brothers, Willie Gene Coleman of Philadelphia and the Rev. Wayman Coleman III of Abbeville; four sisters, Ruby C. Peters of Hyattsville, Md., the Rev. Helen R. Coleman of Philadelphia, Eliza O. Chappelle of Ellicott City, Md., and Deloria C. Savoy of Forestville, Md.; five grandchildren. The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Brown and Walker Funeral Home.

Earl Culbreth

ABBEVILLE, SC — Earl Sylvester Culbreth, 85, resident of 269 Hwy. 28 N., husband of Thelma Fisher Culbreth, died Monday Aug. 14, 2006 at Richard Campbell V.A. Home in Anderson, SC.
Born in Abbeville Co. SC he was a son of the late James Bailey and Sara Price Culbreth.
Earl was a US Army veteran having served in the European Theater during World War II. He was a retired self employed mechanic having owned and operated Culbreth Brothers Garage for many years. He was a Mason and a member of the Clinton Lodge #3 AFM and a Shriner and member of the Hejaz Shrine Temple in Greenville, SC. He was a member of the American Legion of Abbeville Post #2 and a member of VFW Post 6087 in Abbeville, SC. He was a member of New Hope Presbyterian Church PCA and was a deacon of the church.
Survivors are: His wife Thelma Fisher Culbreth of the home, 1 daughter Earline Sears and her husband Wayne of Abbeville, SC, 1 son Mike Culbreth and his wife Lucille, of Abbeville, SC 1 step-son Alan McCurry of Huntersville, NC, 3 step-daughters Maree Anderson of Greenwood, SC, Micky Rodriguez of Greenwood, SC and Laura Patterson of Greenwood, SC, 2 brothers Howard Culbreth and his wife Virginia and Bobby Culbreth and his wife Barbara both of Abbeville, SC, 6 grandchildren Phillip, Shannon both of Abbeville, SC and Jonathan Sears of Laurens, SC, Chasity Voyles, Bryan Culbreth, Shelby McAlister all of Abbeville, SC, 8 Step-grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. He was twice married first to the late Sara Beauford Culbreth.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Estelle Botts and a brother Raeford Culbreth.
Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006 at 2:00 PM at New Hope Presbyterian Church PCA with the Rev. Tommy Cartledge officiating. The burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens.
The body is at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 PM Wednesday evening. The family is at the home of his daughter Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Sears, 117 Woodland Way, Abbeville, SC.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, Hospice House, 408 West Alexander Ave. Greenwood, SC 29646 or to New Hope Presbyterian Church PCA at 1484 Hwy. 28 By-Pass Abbeville, SC 29620.
Online condolences may be sent to the Culbreth family by visiting www.chandlerjacksonfh.com
THE CHANDLER-JACK-SON FUNERAL HOME, ABBEVILLE, SC IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
PAID OBITUARY

Tom Day

Tom R. Day Jr., 87, of 1110 Marshall Road, widower of Alberta Perrin Day, died Monday, Aug. 14, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Philadelphia, he was a son of the late Tom R. Day Sr. and Wanda E. Hummel Day. He was a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and retired as a chemical engineer with Diamond Shamrock. A professional engineer registered in Delaware and Ohio, he was a World War II Army veteran, a Mason and a member of Main Street United Methodist Church and the Hut Class of the church.
Survivors include two sons, John L. Day of Silver Spring, Md., and Dr. Richard P. Day of Madison, Wis.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is 11 a.m. Friday at Asbury Hall, Wesley Commons, officiated by the Revs. Carol Peppers-Wray and James D. Dennis Jr.
Memorials may be made to Main Street United Methodist Church, 211 N. Main St., Greenwood, SC 29646 or Wesley Commons, 1110 Marshall Road, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Lloyd Fezler

PRIOR LAKE, Minn. — Lloyd Fezler, 87, formerly of Burnsville, died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006.
Born in Osakis, he was a son of Trask and Sara Nash Fezler. He was a teacher and administrator during his education career and received a doctorate degree from the University of North Dakota. Teaching in Minnesota for thirty years in Richfield, St. Paul Park, and St. Thomas Academy, he worked for international schools in Thailand, Africa, Korea and concluded his career in GlennAllen, Alaska.
Survivors include his wife, Thelma; his children Linda Lowry of Illinois, Ann Beck of Germany, Sara Allex of Shakopee and David Fezler of South Carolina; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a brother, Elvin Fezler of Osakis; a sister, Mina Goodwin of Hoffman.
Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 8600 Fremont Ave. S., Bloomington. Burial is at Pleasant View Memorial Gardens, Burnsville.
Visitation is 9-10 Saturday at the church.
McNearney Funeral Home, Shakopee, is in charge.

Gladys Holloway

NINETY SIX — Services for Gladys Holloway are 1 p.m. Thursday at Mays United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Ronnie Jeffcoat. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Burial is in The Evening Star cemetery.
Pallbearers are Curtis Clark, Michael Perry, Earl Clark, Alfonzo Davis, Marshall Bland and Terry Hawkins.
Flower bearers are cousins.
The family is at the home, 128 Joseph Road.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net.

Helen McGaha

DONALDS — Helen Haynes McGaha, 83, widow of Vernon McGaha, of 5720 Highway 184 East, died Tuesday, August 15, 2006 at Abbeville Nursing Home in Abbeville.
Born in Abbeville, she was a daughter of the late George and Rosa Flowers Haynes. She was a homemaker and a member of Donalds Baptist Church.
Surviving are two sons, Don McGaha of Ware Shoals and Nelson McGaha of Donalds, one daughter, Rosa (Jodie) McGaha Pruitt of Donalds, one sister, Agnes Ballard of Abbeville, and two granddaughters, Anna Marie McGaha and Meghan Grace McGaha. She was predeceased by six brothers, George, Ed, Warren, Herman, Joe, and Thad Haynes, and four sisters, Grace Haynes, Elizabeth Hill, Lidie Sue Powell, and Lois Prince.
Funeral services will be held at 2 PM Thursday at Donalds Baptist Church with Rev. Jerry Hill and Rev. Jones Brewer officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 PM Wednesday at Pruitt Funeral Home. The family is at the home of her daughter, Jodie Pruitt, 6292 Highway 184 East, Donalds.
PAID OBITUARY

‘Buddy’ Timmerman

William Frederick “Buddy” Timmerman, 83, formerly of 102 Pope Ave., widower of Ruby Eugenia Thompson Timmerman, died Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006 at National Healthcare, Clinton.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of the late Yancey Frontice and Evelyn Turner Timmerman. He retired as superintendent from Daniel Construction Co. after more than 30 years of service and was a member of Lowell Street United Methodist Church.
Survivors include a son, Richard “Bones” Timmerman of Abbeville; a daughter, Diana T. Kauserud of Charlotte, N.C.; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a sister, Omega Pardue of Greenwood.
Memorial services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Blyth Funeral Home, officiated by the Rev. Richard Waldrep.
The family is at the home of his son, “Bones” Timmerman, 202 Edenderry Lane, Abbeville, Dungannon Subdivision.
Memorials may be made to Lowell Street United Methodist Church, 300 Lowell Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com.

Harvey Tucker Jr.

PLUM BRANCH — Services for Harvey Tucker Jr. are 1 p.m. Thursday at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, Parksville, conducted by the Rev. Ernest M. Gordon, pastor. Assisting are the Revs. J.C. Williams, James Price and Minister Carrie Adams. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Daniel Tucker, Foster Rogers, Linzie Johnson, Stanley Tucker and James Barrentine.
Ushers and nieces are flower bearers.
The family is at the home, 205 Dordon Creek Road.
Walker Funeral Home, McCormick, is in charge.

Taimeka Walker Williams

JOHNSTON — Taimeka Walker Williams, 32, of 591 Old Chappell Ferry Road, wife of Tommie Lee Williams, died Friday, Aug. 11, 2006 from injuries received in an automobile accident.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was a daughter of Larry and Connie Williams Walker. She was a graduate of Vorhees College with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a KAPPA Sweetheart. She was a member of Brookland Baptist Church and a teacher with Brookland Baptist Child Development Center, West Columbia.
Survivors include her husband of the home; her father of Brooklyn; her mother of Bartow, Ga.; a brother, Jermaine Walker of Augusta, Ga.; maternal grandparents, by whom she was raised, Lawrence and Lucille Lewis of Columbia; paternal grandparents, Lovett and Lula Mae Walker of Brooklyn.
Services are at noon Friday at Brookland Baptist Church, West Columbia, conducted by the Rev. Charles B. Jackson Sr. The body will be placed in the church at 11. Burial is in Mount Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery, Johnston.
A wake is 4-7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
The family is at the home.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home, Saluda, is in charge.

Former GHS standout told he can’t play for Byrnes

August 16, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Former Greenwood High School football star Xavier Dye’s bid to play football for four-time defending Class AAAA Division II state champion Byrnes took another hit Monday night.
Dye and Byrnes made a hardship appeal to the South Carolina High School League in July, hoping for permission for Dye to suit up for the Rebels this season, Dye’s senior year.
However, SCHSL director Jerome Singleton officially denied the appeal Monday.
“Yes I denied it,” Singleton said Tuesday. “He did not have a bona fide change of address.”
Dye originally announced his intentions to transfer from Greenwood to the Duncan school in June. At the time, the wide receiver said he was moving to Duncan to live with an uncle.
However, on July 22, the SCHSL stepped in and denied him athletic eligibility at Byrnes, providing its original assertion that he did not have a bona fide change of address.
Byrnes and Dye can make another appeal, this time to the SCHSL executive committee on Aug. 23.
Greenwood High School coach Shell Dula maintained the same stance he has had throughout the proceedings.
“We’re going to stick with what we’ve been saying,” Dula said Tuesday. “And that is that we will only talk about players that play for Greenwood High School.”
Byrnes coach Bobby Bentley was unavailable for comment.
Dye is enrolled at Byrnes and attending classes there.
He has been practicing with the Rebels, but he has not played in any scrimmages or jamborees.
Dye was a standout performer at Greenwood in football, basketball and track. Standing 6-foot-5, with good hands and breakaway speed, Dye caught 37 passes for 640 yards and four touchdowns as a junior in 2005. He has already verbally committed to play football at Clemson University.
Should Dye and Byrnes pursue another appeal Aug. 23 and it is approved, Dye would officially become a teammate of fellow Clemson commitment Willy Korn, the highly touted quarterback who chose the Tigers more than a year ago.
Since the original announcement of his intentions to transfer, Dye has expressed enthusiasm for joining forces with Korn.
“He’s a great person to be around,” Dye said of Korn in an article published in the June 3 edition of The Index-Journal. “He’s awesome. He should be the number one quarterback in the nation.”
Byrnes’ winning ways have garnered national attention. The Rebels will play two games on ESPN this year. The first is an August 26 matchup against Glades Central (Fla.) High School in Duncan. The second is a Sept. 16 tilt with Cincinnati Moeller in Cincinnati, Ohio. That game will be part of the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA High School Football Challenge.

Terrorists struck U. S. long before war in Iraq

August 16, 2006

Most South Carolinians were shocked and surprised when Muslim radicals hijacked airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Center, killing thousands. They shouldn’t have been. What else is new?
Some even say our Iraq involvement is what brought on that attack and that it also feeds ongoing threats. Long before 9/11, though, terrorists were at our throats. Some blew up a Marine barracks in Lebanon and killed hundreds of Americans. They attacked the USS Cole and caused other casualties. They killed an American in a wheel chair by throwing him from a ship they had hijacked. They killed an American sailor and dumped his body from another plane they had hijacked.

THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES that show how extremists were killing our people long before the Iraq situation ever came about.
These Muslim terrorists without borders are cold-blooded and fanatical. They particularly want to kill Americans, but they will kill anyone, including other Muslims, who don’t agree with their brand of hatred.
Diplomacy is not in the terrorists’ dictionary, and peaceful resolutions are nothing but wishful thinking. Anyone who thinks we are not at war should think again. It’s a simple proposition. The recent arrests in England of would-be plane bombers prove it. Unless we remain vigilant and see terrorists for what they are, they will be even more successful in their persistent efforts to bring their murderous violence to this country.

MAKE NO MISTAKE. WE KILL them over there or they kill us here. There can be no doubt about that. Their hatred is historical and, as the saying goes, we either learn from history or we’ll repeat it. And if we don’t act accordingly, there will be more deaths of innocent Americans. While all the political bickering goes on and on, one thing should be clear. Despite some of the pontificators to the contrary, Americans, it seems, want their government to give them security and peace of mind.
For our government to do anything less would be a dereliction of duty, no matter if it’s Democrat or Republican. They should be working together to keep up our guard. Unfortunately, too many are indeed playing politics with the public safety, and that’s unacceptable. If we can’t pull together in the face of threats, when can we?