The Crime Report

*Wanted Person*

Investigators from the Florence Police Department have obtained arrest warrants of Murder, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of a Weapon during a Violence Crime against Antonio Williamson, AKA “BOC,” regarding the shooting death of Dwayne Leon Bines on February 14, 2023. Officers have been searching for Mr. Williamson in the greater Florence area the day.

At approximately 1:17 p.m. that night, officers responded to the area of Ingram Street and Cannon Street regarding several reports of shots fired. Officers located the shooting scene in the 700 block of Carver Street and learned that a victim, Mr. Bines, was transported by a third party to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Contact Cpl Frye of the Florence Police Department with any information regarding this incident at (843) 665-3191, by email at mfrye@cityofflorence.com, or through Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

*The Murdaugh Murder Trial, What You Need To Know Before The Verdict*

After six weeks and 27 days the Murdaugh murder trial is preparing to conclude. A Wednesday morning trip brought the jury back to the place where this case began, the Murdaugh family home in Moselle.

Alex Murdaugh stands accused of the June 7, 2021 murders of his wife Maggie, and his son Paul.

The case attracted attention from across the country as new revelations appeared about the Murdaugh family.

More attention focused on the case after Murdaugh allegedly hired Eddie Curtis Smith to shoot him in September of 2021. Murdaugh admitted to SLED investigators he hired the man to kill him in a botched life insurance scheme for his son Buster. This evidence was also heard in court by the jury.

Alex, a former Lowcountry attorney, is accused of numerous financial crimes. These include stealing from his law firm partners and clients. The inclusion of evidence and testimony about the thefts was debated in court and eventually, the jury heard it after Judge Clifton Newman decided to allow it.

The prosecution argued Murdaugh’s finances were a possible motive for shooting his wife and son. The prosecution called it a ‘gathering storm.’

Jury selection began on Jan. 23, 2023 running for several days before the trial began. Jury selection began with a starting pool of over 900 prospective jurors. This was whittled down in a difficult process of finding individuals without knowledge of the high-profile case.

Opening statements began on Jan. 25. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters laid out an argument claiming Alex shot Paul first with a shotgun, and then Maggie with a rifle moments later. Murdaugh’s defense attorney Dick Harpootlian laid out a contradicting story, calling him a loving father and husband.

New revelations from the early portion of the trial included audio and video of Murdaugh. This included the 911 call, SLED interviews with him the night of the murders, and a discussion on whether Murdaugh said, “I did him so bad,” during an interview with police.

A crucial portion of the State’s case revolved around OnStar data and cellphone logs detailing where Murdaugh was and attempting to discredit Murdaugh’s story.

A Snapchat video recorded by Paul at 8:44 p.m. was played before the jury on Feb. 1. The video was created roughly five minutes before he was murdered.

Multiple witnesses identified Murdaugh’s voice in the video, establishing he was at the location. This contradicted his assertion he never visited the kennels where his wife and son were killed. Murdaugh maintained he was napping and went to visit his mother at around 9:00 p.m. that night.

The trial itself had moments of uncertainty, two jurors were dismissed with COVID and the court was evacuated after a bomb threat.

On Day 20, Feb. 17 the prosecution rested.

On Feb. 27 the defense heard from their final witness.

Testimony across the trial included family friends, co-workers, Murdaugh’s brother, sister, and his son Buster alongside forensic experts and law enforcement.

Murdaugh himself took to the stand in his defense for two days. He admitted to lying and stealing and even revealed he’d lied to SLED investigators. However, he maintained that he did not shoot his wife and son. He said his distrust for SLED was amplified by his opioid addiction.

As the trial headed into day 25, it was announced the jury would be allowed to visit the scene of the crimes.

On the morning of March 1, 2023, the jury traveled to the Murdaugh family property in Moselle, the place the case began roughly two years before.

When they returned to the courtroom that afternoon, closing arguments began.

*SLED Charges Lee County Man With Kidnapping, Murder, Burglary And Arson*

Agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged 33-year-old Jeremy Dion Dixon, of Bishopville, SC, with Kidnapping, Murder, Burglary in the first degree, and Arson in the second degree allegedly connected to the deaths of two Bishopville women.

The Bishopville Police Department reports Dixon was arrested after detectives investigated two house fires in Lee County that were allegedly linked to him.

Investigators said on October 9, 2022, around 5:45 a.m., the Bishopville Police Department, Lee County Fire Department, and Emergency services went to a house fire on Harris Street in Bishopville.

First responders found the homeowner, 72-year-old Iris Croft dead inside the home. Bishopville Police Chief J.d. Dellinger then requested from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Arson Investigation Unit.

Coroner Larry Logan said Croft did not die because of the house fire.

Both incidents were determined to be criminal acts after investigators received information from the SLED Forensic Service Laboratory linking the two house fires.

Dixon has prior criminal convictions. These include:

2007 Burglary Third Degree

2010 Distribution/ P.W.I.D near a school

2014 Criminal Domestic Violence

2016 Resisting Arrest

2016 Common Law Robbery

*SLED Charges Two People In Horry County With Human Trafficking*

Two people from Longs were arrested in connection to a Myrtle Beach human trafficking case, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

SLED agents charged Brittany Marquita Rutledge Jackson, 25, and Landon Alvin Ladson, 37, with trafficking in persons on Friday.

Warrants for the pair state around Aug. 16, 2022, the two knowingly recruited, enticed, solicited, isolated, harbored, transported, provided, and obtained a victim for the purpose of sex trafficking and forced labor and services. The warrant states the illegal acts happened at the Comfort Suites Hotel at 710 Frontage Road E in Myrtle Beach.

The defendants knew the victim was over the age of 18, homeless and addicted to narcotics, warrants state.

The defendants continued to subject the victim to a human sex trafficking scheme by purchasing a hotel room and posting commercial sex ads of the victim, while providing narcotics to the victim, authorities said.

The defendants then seized all of the proceeds obtained from the commercial sex ads for themselves.

Jackson and Ladson were booked at Horry County Detention Center. As of Monday night, Ladson was still incarcerated, according to online jail records. No records were available online for Jackson.

The case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.