While one alleged murder in Laurens County has 2 suspects denied bond on Saturday, another apparent homicide Friday night has a suspect being sought by authorities.
The second homicide happened in Gray Court.
The first homicide happened in Clinton.
MyAngel Walker, 18, of Laurens was allegedly murdered by Malachi Pressley, 19 (no address made available), by shooting on Thursday at a Gary Street location in Clinton. Pressley was denied bond Saturday morning by a magistrate on a murder charge and a gun charge, and Taylor Kinard, 19, was charged with accessory after the fact of murder.
Authorities said Kinard allegedly assisted Pressley in removing Walker’s body and moving it in a vehicle to McKenzie Road near Ninety Six in Greenwood County, where it was found about 5:22 a.m. on Friday. Clinton, Laurens and Newberry County officials conducted a 2 p.m. news conference in Clinton to discusse what was Walker’s disappearance that later was classified as a homicide.
One report indicated that the vehicle Walker’s body was found in was burned.
Clinton Police Chief Michael Addison said Walker was last seen in Clinton, and once she was reported missing, Clinton and Laurens Police with the Newberry and Greenwood County Sheriff’s Offices and SLED began their investigation into the missing person report that turned into homicide. Pressley – reported by Walker’s family to be her on-again, off-again boyfriend -- was arrested charged with murder and Kinard was arrested and charged as an accessory, and their bond hearing was at 9 am Saturday in the Johnson Detention Center, where some additional information was presented to the court. Addison and Laurens Police Chief Heath Copeland offered “our deepest condolences” to the Walker family.
Authorities explained how her mother reported her missing to the Laurens Police Department, and the victim’s mother gave information that led investigators to places in Clinton and areas in the county. It became apparent they were looking for more than a missing person, authorities said. She had not shown up for work on the day shift at National Healthcare in Clinton, and Addison said “fairly early in the investigation” it was determined that this might be foul play. “Laurens City did a great job,” Addison said.
Addison said he wasn’t sure about a connection to McKenzie Road in Greenwood County, but Copeland confirmed that an investigation on-site there and Walker’s disappearance and homicide are connected. Authorities did not immediately have an address for Pressley, but said he lived back and forth between Clinton and Laurens. They declined to speculate on Walker and Pressley’s relationship, but family confirmed to The Laurens Advertiser that they consider this a domestic violence matter (on Dec. 4 Laurens Police investigated an attempted murder / suicide that was said to be a domestic case in a building on the Downtown Square). There was no full explanation of Newberry County authorities’ involvement in the investigation.
Copeland said Friday that he could not provide full details of Greenwood authorities’ involvement “to protect the crime scene.” Kinard was said to be involved because she was an accessory after the fact allegedly and had knowledge and helped, with “more to come with that later,” authorities said. Copeland said, “Everything I have heard about MyAngel is she was a very bright young lady, with a good heart; and this is a tragedy that should not happen, and we are glad to get justice for the family quickly.” Addison said the quick arrest is “due to the partnerships across almost the entire 8th Judicial Circuit, we were able to rapidly get to this and get justice for her.”
Authorities made the arrests 12 – 15 hours after the initial report of a missing person.
Authorities did not immediately have warrants available to be made public for Pressley and Kinard, and said these would become available in connection with the bond hearing.
Copeland said, “We want to thank everybody in the investigation. We got together quickly and got the arrests.”
The Greenwood Index Journal reported that that the Public Information Officer for the Greenwood Sheriff’s Office, Josh Hood, reported that the agency got a request to assist SLED with active investigation at 5:22 a.m. on Friday. A vehicle and a person related to the investigation were found about 5:40 am on McKenzie Road near Ninety Six. One report said video from the scene suggested the vehicle seemed to have been burned.
A relative indicated Walker’s mother was contacted about 8:30 a.m. on Friday about discovery of the body. The young woman graduated Laurens District High School this year and wanted to become a nurse. She obtained her CNA and was working at National Health Center in Clinton; and her family reported that she never missed work, so it was unusual when she missed work on Thursday morning. She ran track and played basketball at LDHS.
Denied bond on Saturday, the suspects can petition general sessions court for bond this coming week. The next time Pressley is due in court is Jan. 31, according to a WYFF report.
Reportedly, Laurens County Criminal Court is in session this coming week.
Tuesday, a trial begins for Gabriel Arteaga who has been held in custody since Oct. 9, 2023, charged with reckless homicide in connection with the death of 3-year-old Maddie Hines of Laurens. Others in her family were injured when a vehicle she was in collided with a vehicle that Arteaga was driving on Hwy 76 near Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church. He did not have a driver’s license, authorities said. A $1,062.50 bond was set by a magistrate, on a reckless homicide charge, but that was revoked before a circuit court judge because of Arteaga’s status as an illegal immigrant.
The charges against the suspect are reckless homicide, death results within 3 years caused by injury from a crash, and driving without a license.
Maddie Hines was buried on her 4th birthday – her godfather, former State Rep. Stewart Jones, who resigned from the state legislature to run for a Republican Congressional nomination, used this incident in his campaign. He said in a Statehouse speech and in a video ad that this is an example of heinous crimes committed by illegals and a reason for mass deportation, a move favored by President-elect Donald J. Trump. Jones lost the election to Sherri Biggs, from Anderson, who has been elected to Congress as a Republican. People are being asked by the organization Love Like Maddie to wear purple at home or to the courthouse as the trial commences.
The other death being investigated this weekend happened in Gray Court, Northern Laurens County.
The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting death that happened about 11 p.m. Friday on Cow Trail in Gray Court. A person was shot and died later, a report said. The suspect being sought is Terrence Jerrell Williams, 38 (no address listed); he is 5’11” 220 pounds and authorities cautioned the public that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
LCSO posted on Facebook, “At approximately 11PM on December 13th, deputies responded to Cow Trail in Gray Court in reference to a shooting. The victim did succumb to his injuries. The Laurens County Coroner’s Office will release the victim’s identification when appropriate.
Since the incident occurred, deputies have been actively seeking the suspect:
Terrence Jerrell Williams
DOB: 11/21/1986
Height: 5’11
Weight: 220
Williams should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see him or know of his whereabouts, call 911. You can also report anonymously to CrimeStoppers by calling 864-68-CRIME or www.p3tips.com
Tips leading to an arrest could result in a cash reward.”
That post was made about noon, and there is no updated information posted.
The Laurens County Advertiser's article here.
