Midlands woman found dead in her home, now there’s a search for her killer, cops say
A search is underway for a man who’s wanted in multiple Midlands counties on several charges, South Carolina officials said.
The unidentified man is wanted for his role in the death of Mae Edith Burgess, whose body was found inside her Oakdale area home on the morning of Dec. 14, according to the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office.
Burgess’ death was determined to be a homicide, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies went to check on the 72-year-old Burgess after her car, a 2017 Toyota Corolla, was connected to a shooting in Sumter County, Maj. Randall Stewart told The State Tuesday.
But a witness said it was a man, not Burgess, who opened fire at the Sumter County resident in what appeared to be an attempt to steal the resident’s car, according to Stewart.
Thankfully for the witness, the gun initially malfunctioned before the wanted man was able to fire off several more rounds, Stewart said.
“Otherwise, we wouldn’t have an eyewitness,” Stewart said of the resident who was taken to an area hospital after suffering gunpowder burns to the face. The shooter drove away in Burgess’ car. Further information on the witness’ condition was not available.
After tracing the car back to Burgess, Stewart said the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office called colleagues in Clarendon County to check with Burgess.
That’s when Clarendon County deputies found Burgess dead inside her home, according to Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley.
The Clarendon County Coroner’s Office has not made any public statements about her cause of death, but Baxley said Burgess was last seen alive at about 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 13.
The wanted man is accused of taking Burgess’ car, and Stewart said he might have been trying to dump it for another stolen vehicle when the Sumter County shooting occurred.
The attempted murder was not the only crime connected to Burgess’ stolen car.
The Sumter Police Department said the car was also identified after a man was accused of larceny at a convenience store in the city of Sumter, according to Stewart.
Additionally, investigators are trying to determine if the man is connected to stealing one or two other vehicles prior to taking Burgess’ car, Stewart said.
“This all happened over a two week period,” Stewart said. “It’s quite the crime spree.”
In addition to the two sheriff’s offices and Sumter police, the crimes are also being investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office described Burgess’ car as a silver or light gray Toyota with a license plate that reads “TGQ 705.”
Anyone with information on the stolen car, Burgess’ death, or any other related crimes, is asked to call the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office at 803-433-8477, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at 803-436-2000, CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
In the case of an emergency, please call 911.
A funeral service will be held for Burgess noon on Thursday at St. John AME in Kingstree, and burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery, according to her obituary on the Samuels Funeral Home website.
