June 26, 2023 • 68 mins
Can you ever honestly know someone? This episode of The Murder Book takes us to Conway, South Carolina, to explore the chilling case of Ken Register, a seemingly wholesome young man, and the brutal murder of 17-year-old Crystal Todd. Join me as we unravel the complicated relationship between these two friends and dive into a close-knit community forever changed by a horrifying crime.
We'll return to the Saturday night races, where the tension builds and the night unfolds, leading to a gruesome discovery on a rural country road. Officer Wade Petty faces the challenges of investigating a missing person's case in a community where everyone knows everyone, and knives are tools of necessity. As we follow the trail of clues, the shocking truth emerges: the killer was one of their own.
This heart-wrenching episode will leave you questioning the people in your community and pondering the age-old question: how well can we truly know someone? Be prepared for twists and turns as we uncover the harrowing details of this case and the events leading up to that fateful night. So, buckle up and join us for this chilling and unforgettable episode of The Murder Murder Book.
Sources:
Newspapers:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal/159938097/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news/159938177/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news/159938235/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news/159938295/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news/159938412/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news/159938463/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news/159938500/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news/159938577/
Books:
Hudson, D., Hills, B. (2001). An Hour to Kill: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Justice in a Small Southern Town.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Murder Book.
This is your host, kiara, andwe are starting a new case, and
this is the case of Ken Register.
Ken Register was a churchgoer,family friend or no American boy
.
He lived in the small town ofConway, south Carolina.
(00:25):
He was clean cut, polite to afold, respectful to elders And
he was the kind of guy thatparents wanted their daughters
to date.
But only months after a17-year-old girl's brutal murder
, the residents of Conway werein for another surprise That the
(00:47):
killer was one of their own.
Let's begin.
It was Sunday, november 17, 1991, at 3.30 in the morning.
A call came through the 911line And the person that
(01:11):
answered was dispatcher MikeHill, and he was a person that
he couldn't even tell if it wasmale or female because it was
just a panic-stricken voice.
And he said I'm sorry, I'mhaving some difficulty following
(01:32):
you.
Could you please speak moreclearly into the phone?
And the person took this deepbreath and he said oh, dad,
that's great, slow down, pleasetell me your name.
But the person said my daughterwent to a party tonight.
(01:54):
She ain't got home yet, and I'mtrying to quote the dialogue.
And he asked her again caller,please can you tell me your name
.
But the caller was crying andcoughing And he said caller,
please help me by answering afew questions, can you tell me
(02:17):
your name?
And the caller went on and saidshe was with her friend, carla
Allen, and said okay, so whendid you last see your daughter?
He said they went to a partytogether.
They left there, they droveback to the mall at about 11.15.
So Carla could get her car thatmy daughter drove off, that my
(02:40):
daughter drove off And that'sthe last time anybody's seen her
.
So he said okay.
She said I call Carla and shehas not seen her.
I call her friend can register.
And he said he ain't seen her.
Neither.
He said, ma'am, can you tell meyour daughter's name?
(03:02):
But the lady keep talking.
It said she's driving her brandnew car that I give her.
He said what kind of car is it,ma'am?
She said it's blue.
It's a new car, one of them,toyota Celicas.
I just got it for her as agraduation present.
She's got her name on the backof it.
(03:22):
On her license plate It says CTodd.
And that's when Mr Hill make aquick connection.
He said Mrs Todd, mrs BonifaceTodd, this is Mike, mike Hill.
Do you remember me?
I taught Crystal piano when shewas just a little bitty thing,
(03:42):
remember.
She wanted to play for thechurch.
And Boniface said oh yes, mike,i'm sure glad I got somebody.
I know I worry sick aboutCrystal.
Do you think you can help mefind her?
And this was not the first timethat Mr Hill had received a
plea for help from a parent.
We worry about a tardage child.
(04:05):
In hearing Boniface softs, hepatiently worked through the
standard information in asoothing voice that he had
developed through similarexperiences.
And she said I drove everywhere, I call them all.
Nobody have seen her.
I just know that something hashappened to her And if she's
(04:26):
dead I'll kill myself.
And so here Mr Hill interjectedand said no, no, boniface, let's
not get carried away.
I'll tell you what As soon asshe comes home, call me and I'll
see if a patrolman can come outthere and we'll give her a good
scare, just in case she everthinks of pulling a stunt like
(04:47):
this again.
She said will you, mike?
That would be so nice.
He said you know I will,boniface.
Let me ask you, mrs Boniface,just how old is Crystal now?
She said she's 17, a senior inhigh school.
And he said wow, wow, can youbelieve that?
You know, i bet you're so proud.
She said well, i'm mostly am,but I'm sure worry now.
(05:10):
And he said I know you are, butnow they were aware of this.
Maybe you can relax some.
And first thing, you knowshe'll be home and you can give
her a big hug before you scoldher.
Okay, mr Hill at this momentfelt that there wasn't much he
could offer Boniface.
He, you know he, was relievedthat her voice had even a little
(05:32):
.
And then he said I'm going now,but you give me a call back
when she comes in.
You hear, everybody knowsCrystal, miss Bonnie, and she's
a good girl.
She's not the type to getinvolved with trouble or
somebody up to no good.
And now the Boniface dismissedthe soothing words.
She thanked the Spatterhill.
As she hung the phone she wasstill terribly worried for her
(05:57):
beloved only child.
Boniface had made several morecalls that morning to Crystal's
friends and became moredesperate and frantic with each
one And finally, atapproximately 8 am, she called
911 with an unrestrained pleafor help and finding her
daughter.
She said I can take it no more.
(06:19):
Why won't you do something?
I'm about to go crazy for worry.
She ain't come home yet And Idon't.
I know that somebody's got hersomewhere and she's dead.
I just know she's dead.
The morning dispatcher askedWade Petty, a uniformed officer
with the Horry County PoliceDepartment, to drive out to Miss
(06:42):
Todd's house and talk to her.
Though Crystal was overdue byonly several hours, a missing
report could be filed to consolethe distraught mother.
At 8.44 am, Officer Petty leftthe police department in
downtown Conway, South Carolina,and headed west on Highway 378.
(07:03):
He had no idea that what beganthat risk November morning as
small town routine policeassistance would quickly become
the largest investigation in thehistory of the county, an
investigation into a crime notthought possible in a rural town
of Conway.
Officer Petty, as it turned out, was only the first of many who
(07:29):
would make the 8 mile tripthrough the countryside to
Juniper Bay Road and the home ofCrystal Fetard.
It was late in the evening andthe temperature had dropped, and
Ken registers thin cotton shirtprovided little protection
(07:51):
against the cold evening air Andhe mentions that to his
girlfriend.
He said, tammy, i'm cold, andhe had his hands into his
pockets.
His elbows will hug his sides,making it difficult for his
girlfriend's hand to slip aroundhis arm without him squeezing
(08:11):
it and preventing her frompulling away, and she said I'm
okay, i know you are, butthere's just a couple more races
and I just want to stay.
I can write home with Misty ifyou want to go on.
The gold card track in Aynor,south Carolina always buzzed
with excitement for the Saturdaynight races, but tonight he was
(08:33):
especially busy.
The extra priced money of theupcoming Thanksgiving weekend
races was allure and had drawnthe attention of well over 100
carters, some of whom trailertheir home made machine hundreds
of miles to reach the remoteDutch city park raceway.
All were eager to fine tunetheir driving styles to local
(08:55):
conditions and stood closetogether in the small pit areas
awaiting their turns and duringa chance to talk.
Racing Fans standing around theoutside of the track move in
cinch with the nonstop action,stepping forward to the track
fence for the heats of theirfavorites and then back to the
staging area to talk with thedrivers and watch the next group
(09:18):
get ready.
Even though it was getting late, pickup trucks and hot cars
continued to jam the parking lotas the wine of the two stroke
engines filled the airreverberating off the pines of
the perimeter of the dirt track.
Kent turned his head quickly andtime his direction and then
(09:39):
look at the crowd miling aroundthe concession stand And she
said what is it now?
Her voice was reflecting on agrowing irritation and he said
stop looking over there.
You were looking over myshoulder.
And Tommy said I was not, i waslooking at you.
(09:59):
But he glanced again toward theconcession stand and scoured
why don't we just go?
And he shivered withexaggeration, demonstrating his
desire to leave.
And she said I told you I'm notready to go yet.
And then she turned and spunthe direction of a couple she
(10:20):
knew from high school and shesaid hey, yo.
And she abruptly walked away,leaving Kent standing by himself
.
Although Aina was only 12 milesfrom Conway, the small town's
social circles didn't completelyoverlap.
Kent knew almost everyonearound Conway where he had gone
(10:42):
to high school, and a lot ofpeople from Aina, where his
mother's family lived, but hedidn't know the boys and men
that frequented the go-karttrack and had told Tommy the
track wasn't a place to go to byherself.
Although she lived next door tothe track and had family that
worked there, she had to agreeHer family have always been
(11:03):
cautious because of the tracksRuvolo, cali, and though she had
been there numerous times whenher father and her aunt was
working, always checking in asshe arrived.
She wasn't allowed to simplyhang around the track And Kent
was upset because Tommy hadrecently gone to the track, now
(11:24):
wearing his ring, even thoughthey were going steady In no
fairness.
He knew that she had beenraising, she had been raising
friends since long before theystarted dating 13 months before,
and that she thrived from thesocial scene.
The track of 40 young teens inthe small county town.
Tommy walked back over, nestledher face into the front of his
(11:46):
shirt and she said, kent, itwould really be alright if you
don't stay.
Misty came over by herself andwants me to ride home with her.
And Kent said well, i don'tlike that, Tommy, you wrote with
me up here and I'll take youback.
Although Tommy's house wasvisible from the track, the dirt
(12:08):
road winding around to it wasdark and isolated.
She never walked too far fromthe track at night and shortcuts
in the country could bedangerous.
And she said, kent, i'll ratherstay up here than go home and
be bored.
Her curfew was normally 11o'clock, acceptable for a 14
(12:28):
year old, but she was allowed tostay out later if she was at
the track where her family couldwatch over her And she said
I'll be with you.
He said it's already after 11anyway.
Now one thing is interestingTommy's 14 years old and she
stayed in Kent, who is 18 yearsold.
(12:50):
And at 18 years old Kent didn'thave to be home until 1230 and
usually left Tommy's house closeto 12 to allow for a drive time
.
Tommy knew if they left thetrack to go to her house she
would be stuck with nothing todo, able to hear the excitement
nearby but with no way to getback.
(13:12):
She knew Kent was cold, thoughhe had not planned on being
outside without a coat or socksto keep him warm.
Earlier They have tended to hermom who had been injured in a
car accident a couple of daysearlier, and when some other
family show up to visit, tammytook advantage of the additional
mom sitters and asked if sheand Ken could ride over to the
(13:35):
track and see what OldExcitement was about.
Her mom, surprised that Kenagreed to go, said that it was
alright with her, and theyarrived at the track a little
before 10 o'clock and had beenthere over an hour, and Tammy
said this might be the last raceanyway.
Now, one by one, the cars sliparound the dirt, turns and spit
(14:00):
along the straightway, as thewide-eyed spectators turn their
heads in unison And as theywatched the cars on the final
lap and the screaming carsrounded to turn 4 and slowed to
fall into the waiting stand areafor the final check, another
(14:20):
group moved out of the stagingarea to the starting line And
Tammy said whoa, i guess thatwasn't the last race, darling.
There sure are a lot of peoplestill here tonight.
And Ken said well, we couldjust go on now.
And she said well, you justhave to go.
If you're ready, i'm staying.
(14:42):
I'm going to tell Daddy thatI'll be here.
So she went away before hecould protest And Tammy worked
her way through the crowd to theconcession stand.
Her aunt was doing boot keeping.
She said tell Daddy, i'm goingto stay and ride home with Misty
.
And she said isn't Ken here?
(15:03):
That's?
the aunt said that And she saidyeah, but he's cold.
I'm going to get him to go on.
And the aunt said you guys arenot fighting, are you?
She said no, ma'am, not really.
I just don't want to go yet.
And he's just being Ken.
She said OK, i'll tell him, butwe're fixing to get real busy
(15:25):
tallying up.
So keep an eye out.
She said I will see you later.
So Tammy made her way throughthe crowd, found Ken talking to
an old friend through thestaging area fence And seeing
her approach, ken said OK, socan we go now?
And he said it loud enough thatit turned heads And,
(15:51):
recognizing from the othersreaction that his question
probably sounded more like athread, can lower his voice And
he said this is the last race,you know.
Tammy dropped her head at thecomment, step close to Ken And
she said I'm going to staydarling, but I want you to go on
and get warm.
You're going to be so handsomein the morning leading the music
(16:11):
and you do not need to catch acold now.
So Ken said well, i'll watchthe last race and then we'll go.
So Tammy pulled her hand awaylook at the track.
As the race began And she wasavoiding looking in his
direction.
She was getting a little mad atthis point As the cars crossed
(16:32):
the finish line several minuteslater and yet another group
filed from the staging area tothe starting line.
Tammy took Ken's arm And heslowly relented to her insistent
stare and moved with her towardthe car And she said I'll wait
(16:54):
with you as your car warms up,but I'm not going with you, i'm
staying.
So Ken unlocked Tammy's door,hurry around to slide his
shivering body onto the coldseat.
He turned the key and theignition And he started rubbing
his hands together between histightly clenched legs.
(17:15):
And as they waited for the carto warm, you know Tammy leaned
across the center, laid her headon Tammy's shoulders.
You know kisses here and thereAnd the?
the was like 10 minutes.
After that the car was warmenough and they talked for a
(17:37):
little bit and kiss some moreand make plans for the next day.
The Registered Families Churchwas meeting in a new building
for the first time the followingmorning And Ken had spent
Saturday morning putting thefinishing touches on an altar he
and his father had built forthe sanctuary.
(17:57):
The small church of 35 membersrelied heavily on member
participation and always foundthat the registers could be
counted on when somebody neededto.
Something was needed to be done, ken.
Ken had scrubbed the floors atthe church and made preparations
(18:17):
to lead the music the next dayfor the opening service And she
said remember, it's harvest daytomorrow at my church if you're
and you're invited to come andeat with us.
And Ken said yeah, i remember,but I don't know when I will get
out.
So it looks like Tammy and Kenwere going to different churches
(18:42):
.
And then he said well, that'sokay, call my house when you're
ready to come, and if I'm nothere, just come on to the
fellowship home.
And he said okay, do you wantme to call you when I get home
tonight, in a little while?
And she said well, i'llprobably be down here until late
.
And he said well, you'll becareful now, don't get hurt.
(19:05):
She said I won't.
And she pulled away, got out ofthe car, walked back to the
track and he can watch as Tammyjoined her waiting cousin.
And then he put his car in gearand backed off of the parking
space and he decided that he wasgoing to take the long way home
(19:27):
Now.
In the meantime, there's a partyat a pound house where Christa
Fetod was part of And she waswith her friend Carla, and this
(19:47):
party in this pond, uh, pondhouse was loud, it was crowded,
and, um, her friend Carla saidHey, i think I'm getting close
to curfew, we need to leave now.
And Crystal said yeah, let's go.
So, crystal, um, smile at apassing friend.
(20:07):
As she placed her on finishbeyond the counter.
She followed Carla to the doorand the friend said you look
like you're a little lit.
And Crystal said no, that's thefirst beer I have had.
And she said I gotta go soon.
You just got here.
And she said yeah, um, carla'sgot to be home by 1115 and I'm
(20:28):
driving.
And, um, she scanned the roomagain to see if Sammy had
re-emerged from the back withthe girl he had brought to the
party.
And he, he had not.
So, the friends, how you comingback?
and Crystal said, well, maybe,but she just said that just
trying to be nice, because shewould definitely not be back.
(20:51):
So she said try, you try to doto come back.
Okay, we need to catch up.
And then, um, she, she startedtalking to another person.
And you know this was justanother Saturday for Crystal.
Um, like any other Saturday,after an early dinner with her
(21:14):
mother's family in the nearbytown of Marion, crystal had set
out in search of her friends andsomething to do.
And in Conway, where there werenot a lot of organized
activities, teens traditionallygathered together to see what
the night would bring, and thatmeant showing up downtown at
(21:36):
Minnesota fats, a local, a localteen hangout, or over the at
the edge of town.
There was a couple of monthsaway at the mall, and there was
um.
I have my regular loop aroundthe town And that was the only
(21:57):
mall that the town had, ofcourse, and for several years it
had been a cruising spot Andall the kids knew that if
anything at all was going on themall, than was the place.
Crystal was not in a party moodbut, having recently regained
her driver's license, she wasexcited when she heard about uh
(22:22):
get together at a friend's houseoutside of town And when she
wanted to go alone, she killedtime around the mall and waited
until her best friend, carla,got off from her part-time job
at a department store calledBelts, and Crystal had
originally planned to meet hercousin, kevin, but that fell
(22:44):
through when he started partyingwith friends and forgot to call
.
She also didn't receive a callfrom Jamie, a boy she had
recently started dating and, asa lot resorted, she thought she
might hear from a young man fromthe nearby aviation school.
Crystal and her girlfriend hadon several occasions gone out to
party with some of the traineesand one of them said that he
(23:06):
would call if he could go.
On Saturday afternoon.
When Crystal left with her momaround 5 o'clock that afternoon
to attend the family dinner, shehad not heard from anyone.
At 9 o'clock Carla emerged fromthe mall and saw Crystal
waiting by her car in theparking lot.
She said hey, carla, how's work?
(23:28):
And you know she said oh, itfeels good to be off.
And although the 17 year oldgirls have known each other
since childhood, they had onlybecome best friends over the
last couple of years Now.
As seniors in high school theyfound themselves almost
inseparable on the weekends andhad started making plans for
what they wanted to do aftergraduation.
(23:49):
And so Crystal asked her youwant to go out to Dana's pun
house to a party?
And she said I didn't think shewas going to have any more
parties out there.
I heard she was real mad whenthe last one got out of hand and
the house got trashed.
And Crystal said well, that'swhat I understood too, so I
(24:11):
called her.
It's a surprise party for herboyfriend.
She said only a select groupwas told, but that me and you
can come, providing we don'tbring a crowd with us.
And Carla said what do you wantto do?
And she said.
Crystal said well, i guess Iwould like to go.
I feel like I should dosomething now that I have my car
(24:33):
back.
That's where everybody will be,probably.
So Carla said, including.
She said no, no, no.
Crystal said don't say it, idon't care if he's there.
So Carla waited until Crystaladded I just thought he might be
, it's all.
And Carla said okay, whatever,i have to go home first.
(24:53):
They're expecting me to comestraight on from work.
So she said no problem, let'stake my car.
So, following a quick call toCarla's mom, who imposed an 1115
curfew, the girls drove out tothe country.
At the party, crystal sat on acouch with Carla the entire time
and made small talk.
Carla's boyfriend was there too, giving Crystal bits of free
(25:18):
time to visit with several ofthe 50 or so teens at the party.
Crystal talked excitedly withher closest friends about having
her car back.
A car meant independence andthe spread out small community.
Crystal had been without a carsince a collision with a
telephone pole three monthsearlier.
She was arrested and chargedwith driving under the influence
(25:41):
of alcohol.
The police subsequently toldher that she could become an
informant to clear the DUIcharge, but she refused, saying
she wasn't the type to rat outher friends.
The charge was ultimatelyreduced to minor possession of
alcohol.
She lost her driver's licensebut got it back four days prior
to the party And once again shewas filled with pride over her
(26:05):
beautiful car.
Though Crystal did her best tohide her feelings, she is
different with Sammy arrived atthe party with another girl.
Crystal had known Sammy forabout two years and had her
heart broken by him severaltimes.
Sammy was a charming user whohooked up with Crystal when it
(26:28):
was convenient for him mosttypically for quick sex, not to
subsequently ignore or openlyshun her.
Carla disliked Sammytremendously and often said so
to Crystal, and Crystal in turnwould resolve to stop seeing
Sammy, only to find herself backwith him when she got the
chance.
Crystal had seen Sammy thenight before in Aynor and had a
(26:51):
good time cruising around withhim and a male friend.
Carla was suspicious of Sammy'smotive and was only slightly
placated when Crystal told hershe didn't drink or have sex
with Sammy.
Carla was not the leastdismayed at her friends' belief
that Sammy had treated hernicely and the hope Crystal
(27:13):
expressed that she might see himat the party and continue
building with him what shethought could be a normal
relationship.
Carla became angry at the partyas Sammy ignored Crystal and
refused to acknowledge herpresence.
Sammy's date, apparentlyunaware of any connection
between Crystal and Sammy,actually sat down on the couch
(27:37):
next to Crystal.
Sammy intervened by signalingto the girl who got up from the
couch and accompanied him to theback room.
And just before 11 o'clockCrystal said Carla, whenever
you're ready, let's just go.
And Carla looked at her watchand she said wow, i guess it's
getting close if I'm going toget home on time.
(27:57):
So she turned to her boyfriendand said we've got to go now,
walk us out.
And, following Carla's lead,the teens moved slowly toward
the door.
The party was in full swing andteenage bodies packed the tight
space as rock music blastedfrom the stereo And Carla said
(28:17):
in Crystal's ear just a fewclose friends, huh.
There was a good chance thatthe party house might get
trashed again.
And Carla was already at the carand locked in an embrace with
her boyfriend when Crystalarrived and said Carla, you said
you have to go.
And noticing that a boy hadfollowed her out, crystal turned
(28:39):
and told him we're leaving Andshe said I have been waiting on
him.
The boy said just to ring toCarla's boyfriend.
And Crystal said well, we canfix that.
She unlocked her door, got inand said to Carla in a loud
voice come on, carla.
And Carla was like, okay, geez,i guess we're leaving right
(29:00):
this second.
So she gave her boyfriendanother peck on her cheek before
getting in, on his cheek,before getting into the car, and
he stepped back as she closedthe door And she said to Crystal
, crank it up, i want to rolldown my window.
So Carla looked at herboyfriend and laughed as he
pressed his lips to the glass.
She kissed inside of the windowbut quickly pulled her face
(29:23):
away as the glass lowered AndCarla said you know, hey,
because she lowered the window.
She said you said you wantedyour window down.
She said Crystal, come on,don't take Sammy out on me.
But they start driving.
(29:45):
And Crystal got into the malland the parking lot just up
before 11.15 and pulled upbeside Carla's car.
Carla looked at her friend asshe pulled her keys out of her
purse and she said what are yougoing to do now?
And Crystal said I don't know,i'll probably get something to
eat or find something to do fora little while.
I got until 12.30 and I don'twant to go home yet.
(30:08):
And Carla asked her you're notgoing back to the party, are you
Tell me you're not?
She said no, no, no, i promise.
That would definitely not bethe right thing for me to do.
I'm sure I would run intosomebody in town.
And Carla opened the door toget out.
She felt a strange sense offoreboding for boarding and turn
(30:30):
around.
She said, crystal, be careful,okay.
And Crystal said okay, i onlyhave one beer, you know.
She said that's not what Imeant.
I just mean be careful.
And Crystal said don't worry,carla, i'll be fine.
So Crystal waited while Carlagot in, started her car and,
satisfied that her friend wastucked in, she put her car into
(30:52):
gear and pulled forward to theedge of the mall parking lot.
At the moment, and certainlywithout realizing it, she made
the most important decision ofher young life.
Checking her watch again,crystal noted that she had just
about an hour before she had tobe home and turned toward the
(31:12):
shortcut to downtown Conway.
Crystal sat at the stoplightand searched for her glove box
for her new tape.
The residential shortcut wasquiet, which wasn't unusual at
1130 on November in Conway.
Elm Street is a quiet tree-lineavenue that flows at one end
(31:35):
past a collection of old houses,some with large front porches
where town folks sit sweet teain the late afternoon, waving
lazily as neighbors and carspass slowly on the way to and
from downtown.
Crack concrete sidewalks on,even from borrowing tree roots,
sit back from the road bustle inthe daytime with children on
(31:56):
bikes and mothers pushing a babycarriage.
Elm offers a quick alternativeto Main Street, a block over and
little with traffic lights.
Teenagers raced down Elm,slowing only when there were the
road narrows to one lane toaccommodate a particularly grand
live oak someone long agodecided was too nice to remove.
(32:18):
Crystal looked up when sheheard the horn and saw a
familiar car.
It was a blue Plymouth sedanslooking dark in the moonlight as
it rolled to the top And KenRegister rolled down his window.
After a brief exchange Crystalparked her car and, taking only
her keys and leaving behind hercoat and purse, got in with Ken.
(32:43):
Ken and Crystal had known eachother all of their lives.
They had a date for a shorttime in 1988 but during
Crystal's last year in schoolhad gotten back to be very good
friends because they only had afew friends lived.
One more part.
It was convenient for themduring high school to
(33:03):
occasionally attend social andschool events together.
For a short time Ken gaveCrystal rights to school each
morning but stopped when some ofthe guys on the foot protein is
enuated that there was more tothe relationship than just
carpooling.
Ken denied having any physicalattraction for her and didn't
appreciate his classmates'taunts.
(33:24):
He considered his relationshipwith Crystal to be more like
brother and sister rather thanboyfriend and girlfriend.
It was Crystal, however, whostopped her dating.
She said I don't want to dateKen no more.
Mama Crystal had told BonnieFaye when Ken asked her out
again six months before gettinginto Ken's car that night on M
(33:48):
Street.
She says his things likecigarettes and all he wants to
do is have sex.
So I told him no.
Bonnie Faye wasn't disappointedwith her daughter's decision,
even though she liked Ken andhad originally encouraged
Crystal to date him.
When Crystal told her that Kenonly behaved nicely at home,
(34:12):
bonnie Faye told Crystal thatshe was right to not go out with
him anymore.
And the mother said the oneswho are the nicest around home
are often the ones that are themeanest when they're away from
other people.
Ken and Crystal casually saweach other.
Ken was very busy.
He had a new job with SantyCooper Electric, attended
(34:35):
evening classes at HorryGeorgetown Technical College and
had a new girlfriend in hislife, a young cheerleader from
AINER.
What little social time he hadwas typically spent with her at
school, athletic events, go cardraces, movies and church Still
perhaps does to be neighborly.
Ken continued visiting the tuts, sometimes when Crystal wasn't
(34:57):
there.
One route into town took Kenright past Crystal's house.
He stopped by the day.
Crystal went to get back herlicense but refused her request
for a ride to the Department ofMotor Vehicles After washing her
car to get it ready to driveagain.
Crystal went into the house andtold her mother that Ken had
again approached her aboutdating And she said he must
(35:21):
think enough a lot of you towant to go with you And him
already dating another girl.
That's what Bonnie Faye toldher.
No one would ever knoweverything that happened on that
day.
No one would ever knoweverything that happened on that
night to place two teenagerseach within an hour until curfew
(35:42):
together in a car on a dark andsecluded country lane.
Crystal knew that Ken seemed tohave successfully removed
himself from the party scene inConway He no longer drank or
attended rowdy parties.
He had told Crystal's cousin,kevin, to get a good girl to
(36:02):
help strain out his life.
Whether he spoke with Crystalabout her behavior is unknown.
According to Crystal's friend,she too was trying to strain up.
They didn't think she had beenvery successful.
Perhaps Crystal climbed intothe car with Ken to persuade him
to devote how he had brokenaway from his old friends and
(36:23):
old habits.
Perhaps she was curious abouthow he avoided backsliding in
the face of the temptationsoffered by the hometown crowd.
Perhaps he had some newknowledge of self-control or
self-restraint.
Perhaps he has something to dowith his girlfriend.
Perhaps she was just lonely andneeded some company.
(36:51):
The car seat barely had time tocool from Tammy's warmth before
Crystal was strapped in andtraveling with Ken to a parking
spot just outside of Conway.
Following Crystal's directions,ken slowed the car and made a
turn onto a two-lane dirt roadthat appeared as a shared drive
between two houses.
Driving quickly down the roadand over a little bridge, he
(37:16):
pulled into a small opening tothe right.
The dirt lane amounted tolittle more than a path, with a
grass strip running between twobare threads, scrubbed oaks and
pine standing in raggedy patchesalong the sides provided a
sparse cover typical of landthat had been cleared and
(37:37):
allowed to grow back naturally.
Beyond the trees ahead they sawwhat, in the moonlight, looked
like an open field, seeing noother cars.
As they neared the end of thelane, ken suddenly cucked the
ignition.
Crystal looked at her, watchedin the dim light of the car and
(37:57):
casually said Remember, we don'thave long?
Yeah, ken responded.
Within minutes Ken and Crystalwere kissing but were probably
began as consensual sex for thelong time.
Friends went terribly wrong.
Something happened to release adeadly impulse.
Other lesson games, fueled byfears and fantasy, suddenly
(38:20):
turned into a frenzy assault.
Minute after unending minute,sounds of torment filled the
night as a bloody knife thrustforward again and again, passing
upturned hand placed futilelyin harm's way as a pitiful
(38:41):
defense against a young manintent on silencing her screams.
Even after the life force wascompletely drained from
Crystal's crumpled body, thenight continued to bear witness
to the savage of an unspeakabledeprivity, ending not with a
sated need as much as achildhood adversion.
(39:02):
What was left was cast asidewithout concern, only to become
someone else's nightmare.
What was left would foreverchange the life of a community
Officer.
Wade Petty had been with theHorry County Police Department
(39:25):
for less than a year but wasnonetheless a seasoned cop.
As part of his acclimation tothe Horry County Police
Department, perry had beenapprised of the tensions between
Eastern and Western Horry RitesOperating primarily in the vast
rural sections of the county.
(39:46):
He had to familiarize himselfwith each of the little
communities and the names of thefamilies who had made their
homes there for many generations.
Because many of the communitieshave names not recognizable to
a post office, the task offinding one's way around, he had
found, could become tiresomeand occasionally frustrating.
(40:09):
A dispatcher's advice to askfor directions could produce
different results.
Many of the country folks,while not necessarily suspicious
of the law, wereself-sufficient and needed to
know that the status quo wouldremain intact.
They were hardworking,god-fearing people who had lived
(40:32):
their lives with minimalinterference, and that's how
they wanted it to stay.
Oh and all Petty had managed.
His attention to detail pay offas he navigated the two lane
black tops and numerous dirtroads cursing through the
(40:53):
countryside.
Petty was particularlyinterested by police records
which revealed that most teenageboys and adult men living in
western Horry counties stillcarried knives.
He knew farmers needed them astools for a variety of everyday
tasks.
(41:13):
Knives are certainly useful forhunting and skinning, game
cleaning, fish and woodworkingand for just about anything else
that needs doing on a farm.
The best knives for farmers arethe combination knives with a
variety of blades fitting into acase that can be tucked away in
(41:34):
a pocket or worn on a belt.
He had also learned that manyof the farms around Conway had
long ago been divided, sold,subdivided and sold again and
again.
In the modern era of bigbusiness farming, most of the
county's residents no longermade their livings off the land.
(41:56):
Many of the smaller operationshad shut down and people have to
leave the land they socherished to find game for
employment elsewhere.
Riding through the countrysideone now sees but a few
dilapidated grain, skeletons oftobacco barns and smoke houses
remaining among the mothers'brick homes and mobile home
(42:19):
parks.
An interesting result of thispolice record show is that most
confiscated knives are lockblades.
A lock blade is a single longblade that is very sharp,
possibly serrated, locks intoplace when open and folds away
(42:39):
only when released.
Perhaps most alarming is thatthe knives are no longer
considered tools.
They are now considered weapons.
Records further reveal thatmost of the old boys in western
Horry County know how to usethem.
On that Sunday morning, november17, officer Petty slowed his
(43:03):
cruiser as he approached a blackand white mailbox posted with
the numbers he had been givenand pulled into the yard of a
grey trailer home with latticeunderpinnings.
He noted no visible signs ofdisrepair, although the house
looks like it was more than 20years old.
The yard was small and borderedon the front by a six foot
(43:24):
drainage, ditch and down eachside by a hot pot of shrubs.
On the front and side of thehouse was a narrow wooden porch.
Less than 50 feet away andadjacent to the trailer house
was an older weathered farmhousepartially shaded by four huge
red oak trees.
The farmhouse had an open frontporch with two red wooden
(43:48):
couches.
A hand crack water pump rosefrom a four inch black pipe.
Behind the house, officer Pettycould see a converted barn
sheltering a rusting automobileand directly behind that an old,
(44:08):
splintered, broken throughtobacco barn.
An old white dog positioned tosoak in the morning sun lifted
his head and briefly eyed theofficer.
Bonnie Faye Todd stepped out ofthe trailer house and greeted
Petty on the front porch.
Petty's first thought was thatshe looked as she had not slept
all night.
She appeared nervous andfidgety.
(44:32):
With her short tassel grey hairand leather tan skin she looked
more like grandmother than themother of a teenager.
Her eyes were bloodshot fromcrying and she smelled of too
many cigarettes and cups ofstrong brewed coffee.
The officer identified himself,stepped into the living area of
(44:52):
the house and began thestandard interview process for a
missing home of missing personsreport.
Boniface described Crystal as17 years old, with brown hair
and blue eyes.
She thought Crystal was aboutfive three and weighted around
112 pounds.
When last seen by her motherthe night before, she was
(45:13):
wearing blue dungarees, a printtop, brown shoes, white socks
and was carrying a brown leatherjacket.
She was driving her 1991metallic blue Toyota Celica with
a personalized tack that saysSea Todd.
Boniface mentioned to Petty thatshe had called several of
(45:36):
Crystal's girlfriends earlierthat morning.
The girls were eager to helpand had ridden into Conway and
driven to all of the placeswhere they usually hung out.
They had found Crystal's carpark at Conway Middle School off
of Elm Street.
Now that Boniface had said so,officer Petty remembers seeing a
(45:57):
metallic blue Toyota park inthe schoolyard earlier that
morning.
He had not seen anythingsuspicious about it, though nor
did he mention it to Boniface.
At 9.15 the phone rang andBoniface excused herself to
answer it.
She said maybe that's Crystal.
Petty scanned the room and sawa large portrait of a pretty
(46:18):
teenage girl and he thought thathas to be Crystal.
Several minutes later OfficerPetty and Boniface were outside
in the yard when a blue PlymouthSundance pulled out.
Here he is.
Boniface told the officerthat's one of Crystal's best
(46:39):
friends.
I just bet he can't help usfind Crystal.
When the car stopped, a tan,muscular young man with a
sunburn face and sandy blondehair got out and walked across
the lawn.
He embraced Boniface and kissedher on the cheek.
The young man introducedhimself to the officer with a
(47:00):
firm handshake and tentativesmile.
He said I'm Ken Register.
I was on my way to church I'mafraid of I'm a friend of
Crystal's and he was even havinga tire that you could tell that
he was a church Sunday close.
And Boniface exclaimed oh I'mso glad you're here, ken.
(47:24):
Crystal still ain't got homeyet, so maybe you can tell this
policeman where you think wemight could find her.
And Ken said well, i can tellyou much.
I graduated from high schoollast year and I don't hang
around with Crystal and herfriends anymore.
The only thing I might couldtell you that would help you is
(47:48):
about a few parties I heardabout last night.
So Ken and Petty leaned againstthe Plymouth Sundance and talked
for ten minutes about thelocation of those parties and
where Crystal might have gonethat night before.
As they talked, ken led twocigarettes and he kept one for
himself and he gave the otherone to Boniface And Ken told
(48:14):
Officer Petty I don't know toomuch about those parties or the
people who go there becausethat's not my thing anymore.
Boniface called me last nightand asked me to go help her look
for Crystal.
But my mom didn't want me to goback out in the night air
because I had taken a code.
I told her that you know what Ihave heard about the parties
(48:36):
and I also told her that I willcall the hospital and see if
Crystal was there.
And Petty asked and did you,did you call the hospital?
And he said yes, sir, i call,but they told me there was no
one by that name in theemergency room.
Then I called Miss Bonnie andtold her that And he said about
what time was that?
And he said, oh, about 1.15, orsometimes afterwards you can
(49:01):
talk with my mom.
She was there with me.
So the officer thank Ken, wrotedown his phone number and Ken
apologized.
He said I wish I could tell youmore, officer, but I don't know
anything about where Crystalwas last night or anything about
those parties either.
Before leaving, ken shookPetty's hand again and raised
(49:25):
Bonnie Faye and told her not toworry.
He said Crystal's probably at afriend's house and just fell
asleep.
I'm sure she's okay.
After church I'll come back andhelp you look for her.
Bonnie Faye thanked him andsaid she knew that she could
always count on him to help whenCrystal wasn't in trouble.
And Bonnie Faye said you're thebest friend Crystal has ever
(49:49):
had, ken.
I just don't know what shewould ever do without you.
And after checking to make surehe had enough information to
complete the report, officerPetty left the tats, drove back
down Juventon Purbe road intoConway and went straight to the
Conway Middle School where theblue Toyota was still parked.
(50:12):
The trunk and car doors werelocked and inside he could see a
pocket book and several dollarbills and loose change in the
compartment between the seatsAnd he thought there's no
mistake about it.
This vehicle has to be the onethat belongs to the missing girl
.
To completely satisfied hiscuriosity, petty walked to the
(50:35):
back of the car and read aloudthe bold black letters of the
licensed tag See Todd.
Now, in the coastal region ofSouth Carolina, the autumn
weather because it's likeNovember.
(50:57):
It brings relief from the heatand the bucks of summer and is
welcomed by the town and countryfolk alike.
Now this is the time that youare not going to see a lot of
tourist traffic, and the coolerand drier for air signals a
return to a more normal way oflife.
(51:18):
Following the seasonal workschedule of the previous month,
the children are back in school.
Church activities have beensuspended for the summer.
They have been for the summerplanned.
The friends and family membersvisit each other more freely and
many of the locals stay off thewell-being tourist path during
(51:39):
the spring and summer month.
For example, they avoid thetheaters, they avoid the
favorite restaurants.
The hot months are when many intourism work non-stop, make a
large portion of their money forthe year, and others are simply
too tired after commuting towork through the summer traffic
(51:59):
to go anywhere unless it'sabsolutely necessary.
Fall in a resort area signalsthe beginning of rest, much as
the summer season does in otherparts of the country, Late
summer and the beginnings offall have an additional special
meaning for many citizens atHorry County.
Men and women take to the woodsin search of the elusive white
(52:24):
tail deer.
Hunting for deer is atime-honored tradition in the
South and is a family activitythroughout the rural areas of
Horry County, which has anabundance of the beautiful
creatures.
And South Carolina has so manydeer that drivers in the rural
areas need to be alert,particularly at night, to the
(52:45):
large animals feeding along thesides of the road and the real
possibility that one mightbounce suddenly into the path of
an oncoming vehicle.
Deer hunters use primitiveweapons or allow into the woods
in August for bow season andcompound bows and black powder
(53:07):
guns shooting 40 to 60 caliberballs require hunters to stalk
and kill their prey at closerange.
The regular deer season, whichallows hunting with long-range
weapons, opens around the mid ofSeptember and last until
January 1st.
It is one of the longestseasons in the United States.
(53:28):
Hunters are then permitted touse big scoped rifles in the 30
caliber range and to derive thedeer with dogs toward other
hunters positioned with shotguns.
Going out into the woods onesee trucks with empty dog boxes
pulled over on the side of thedirt roads and can sometimes
(53:49):
hear hounds in the distance asure bet that hunters are close
by.
Locals generally know betterthan to go in the woods in the
fall without brightly markedclothing.
For many families, hunting ismore than a pastime or sport.
It's a way of life thatsometimes supplements the family
(54:11):
food budget.
Young people are taught to huntand some actually bring home
food During the season.
Many families fill theirfreezers with enough venison to
satisfy their personal needs,with enough leftover to give
away or trade for other gamemeets.
Local schools are aware thatsome teenagers miss school to
(54:34):
hunt and sometimes parents willeven lie by saying the youngster
was sick.
The teens joke that you cantell the real rednecks by seeing
who's missing from school.
On the first day of huntingseason, sunday November 17, 1991
, started for the Allen Brothers, much as it did any other
(54:57):
Sundays during deer season, withpreparations for the daily hunt
.
Lloyd, 24, and his olderbrother, willis, were descended
from a long line of deer huntersand had been active in the
sport for as long as they couldremember.
Going hunting was as naturalfor them as getting up and going
to work.
Both were skilled and had anunquenchable love of deer
(55:21):
hunting.
They often stopped by thewildlife and outdoor equipment
store to swap storage with otherhunters Saber ring every minute
of the season.
Lloyd and Willis routinelyspend the days off in the woods.
Signs of deer energized themand drove them toward the
possibility of carrying homesomething like the big 12-point
(55:43):
buck.
They were sure had left afootprint edge in the sandy soil
somewhere beneath the woodedpines and hardwood trees.
The day before Lloyd and hisfather, lloyd Sr, had been
outside of Conway slowly ridingthe path and trails looking for
(56:03):
deer, and even though they hadnot actually seen any deer when
the day ended, lloyd decided togo back the next day with his
brother to check on some trackshe had seen in one area.
Stepping out.
The next morning, lloyd notedwith satisfaction that the year
was crisp, the sky was blue andthat was a perfect day for
(56:25):
hunting.
Lloyd bang on the door of hissister's mobile home and said
tell Willis it's time to go.
Tell him yourself.
She says, and Willis was stillin bed and Lloyd wasted no time
waking him and said come on,let's go.
So Willis didn't want to get up,but Lloyd was very insistent no
(56:49):
, it's time to to go, we'rewasting time.
And I saw tracks down that dirtroad next to that open field.
So we are going to go and lookand see.
And Willis complained that Iwas up half the night with my
girlfriend on the phone and saidI'm sorry but we need to go now
(57:12):
.
So quit wasting time.
So finally Willis set upscratches head and that dress
and Lloyd grabbed a box ofshotgun shells, checked the
gauge and he said okay, i'll bein the truck, so don't make me
wait, because I know thatthere's a big one waiting and
(57:35):
it's gonna have my name on it.
So Willis gathered his clothesand he was getting ready.
He grabbed his shotgun from therack and put it in the truck.
(57:56):
He said that he was starving,that they needed to go and eat
at Tommy's.
Lloyd said yeah, we can do that.
So a little after around nineo'clock in the morning, the
brothers stopped at a countryroad side store.
Willis purchased a soda and acorn dog to eat in the truck and
(58:18):
that is on the way to a roadcalled Colling's Jolly Road and
they got back on the truck andLloyd abruptly turned the truck
down the dirt lane leading tothe open field where he and his
father had seen signs of deerthe day before and he said keep
(58:40):
your eyes open.
Yes, that's what we saw deeryesterday.
And Willis said that when helooked where they were going,
they were going through thisnarrow lane and he told Lloyd I
think this is probably propertybow.
(59:01):
And Lloyd said no, we're justlooking.
And the truck is along, rollingfrom side to side as the wheels
track through the dirt tracks.
Neither brothers spoke becausetheir senses were trying to
focus on looking at anyindication of deer around the
(59:23):
area.
Willis was scanning the treeline of the Squabby Woodland on
Lloyd's side when the trucksuddenly slowed and stopped and
looking at a dark and spot inthe road ahead of them, lloyd
pointed and said look at that.
Willis looked where Lloyd hadpointed and reached out the
(59:44):
window to unlatch that brokenthe broken door and he said I
think that somebody killed adeer here this morning and
Willis said when he said that heleaned forward for a closer
look.
So Lloyd turned off the truckand climbed out and Willis had
(01:00:05):
already spotted a black trailand he said well, somebody must
have shot one and he run offover there in that ditch and he
stepped across the lane and hefollowed what looked like drag
marks.
Lloyd moved forward to whereWillis had first stood.
He said it's a.
That's a lot of blood, isn't it?
(01:00:27):
because what he was looking atwas a large damn spot and
several small pools of fresh redblood that were near the center
of a saturated area.
Willis stopped suddenly when hesaw a shoe on a slender ankle
sticking up over the edge of theditch.
(01:00:48):
He remained motionless as hestared at the shoe, confirming
to himself that he wasn't seeingthings.
His eyes followed the shoe toan ankle and ultimately to the
partially clothed body of amutilated human being sproed on
(01:01:08):
its side in the dry chrysalmleaves.
He turned his head and startedto call to Lloyd and nausea head
As he leaned forward to releasethe soda and corn dog.
Lloyd approached and saidwhat's going on here, man?
and Willis gasped betweenheaves and he said it ain't no,
(01:01:30):
deer Lloyd, it's a dead body.
He said man, you're lying to me.
So he stepped carefully aroundhis brother to take a closer
look into the ditch and Willis,you know he thought he has to be
exaggerating, cannot be a body.
(01:01:50):
But he quickly stopped when hesaw the shoe and he said what in
the hell?
and he inch up sideways.
Lloyd turned his head to lookover his shoulder and he was
indeed a body.
He looked back at Willis whostepped forward again for
another look.
His hand covered his mouth andnose.
(01:02:12):
Both brothers were transfixedand stare into the ditch and
Lloyd said I have never youthink it might be a woman?
and Willis gagged again andturned away.
He said I don't know anythingabout this man.
He said look at that shoe andthe clothes.
And he tried to lean.
(01:02:33):
Lloyd tried to lean over theside of the ditch.
He said that's got, that's gotto be a woman.
And Willis leaned forward andhe was taking the breath because
he's about to throw up again.
He said let's go.
(01:02:53):
Lloyd, in the meantime he wasstarting the scene blood seemed
to be everywhere, mixing asclumps with dirt and leaves, in
and out of the cuts on her bodyand face.
The hair was so matted hecouldn't tell what color it was.
Her lower abdomen, maybe herstomach, had been cut open and
her guts looked like they werehanging out.
(01:03:16):
And Lloyd said Jesus, thatperson was butchered up like an
animal.
And Willis was saying come on,lloyd, in case you ain't thought
of it, somebody or somethingdone that and I don't want to be
here if it comes back.
And that was all Lloyd had tohear.
(01:03:38):
Looking around quickly, thebrothers hurriedly climbed back
in the truck and Willis saidlet's go, let's go crank it up.
And Lloyd said I'm going, i'mgoing.
So he spun the tires and theson back out of the lane and
Willis watched out of the rearwindow as Lloyd drove back down
(01:03:58):
Collins Jolie Road and he saidin a really voice there's nobody
behind us.
And Lloyd said good, and hejust kept focusing on the road.
When they arrived back at theirsister's house, the brothers
practically gasped and unisonedquick, called the police.
You gotta call the police.
We found a body down in thewoods.
(01:04:20):
Hurry before somebody elsefinds her, or maybe the killer
comes back.
The call went into 911emergency dispatch at 9 10 am.
Shortly before 10 o'clock thepolice arrived at the trailer
home and accompanied Lloyd, hissister and Lloyd Sr back to the
(01:04:42):
site where the body was found.
Willis wanted nothing more todo with the dead body and
remained in the back bedroom ofhis sister's trailer until the
police left.
When asked afterwards about theexperience, he said quote I was
too scared.
It has seen all of that body inthose woods.
I have ever hoped to see You gohunting all your life and you
(01:05:07):
don't.
You don't never see nothinglike that.
When I see them guts hangingout, when I see her split open
like she was, i said to myself,willis, wherever this, this was
sick.
you know what I'm sayingwherever this, this was very,
(01:05:28):
very sick.
Thank you for listening to theBurtlebook.
Have a great week.
Welcome to the Murder Book.
This is your host, kiara, andwe are starting a new case, and
this is the case of Ken Register.
Ken Register was a churchgoer,family friend or no American boy
.
He lived in the small town ofConway, south Carolina.
(00:25):
He was clean cut, polite to afold, respectful to elders And
he was the kind of guy thatparents wanted their daughters
to date.
But only months after a17-year-old girl's brutal murder
, the residents of Conway werein for another surprise That the
(00:47):
killer was one of their own.
Let's begin.
It was Sunday, november 17, 1991, at 3.30 in the morning.
A call came through the 911line And the person that
(01:11):
answered was dispatcher MikeHill, and he was a person that
he couldn't even tell if it wasmale or female because it was
just a panic-stricken voice.
And he said I'm sorry, I'mhaving some difficulty following
(01:32):
you.
Could you please speak moreclearly into the phone?
And the person took this deepbreath and he said oh, dad,
that's great, slow down, pleasetell me your name.
But the person said my daughterwent to a party tonight.
(01:54):
She ain't got home yet, and I'mtrying to quote the dialogue.
And he asked her again caller,please can you tell me your name
.
But the caller was crying andcoughing And he said caller,
please help me by answering afew questions, can you tell me
(02:17):
your name?
And the caller went on and saidshe was with her friend, carla
Allen, and said okay, so whendid you last see your daughter?
He said they went to a partytogether.
They left there, they droveback to the mall at about 11.15.
So Carla could get her car thatmy daughter drove off, that my
(02:40):
daughter drove off And that'sthe last time anybody's seen her
.
So he said okay.
She said I call Carla and shehas not seen her.
I call her friend can register.
And he said he ain't seen her.
Neither.
He said, ma'am, can you tell meyour daughter's name?
(03:02):
But the lady keep talking.
It said she's driving her brandnew car that I give her.
He said what kind of car is it,ma'am?
She said it's blue.
It's a new car, one of them,toyota Celicas.
I just got it for her as agraduation present.
She's got her name on the backof it.
(03:22):
On her license plate It says CTodd.
And that's when Mr Hill make aquick connection.
He said Mrs Todd, mrs BonifaceTodd, this is Mike, mike Hill.
Do you remember me?
I taught Crystal piano when shewas just a little bitty thing,
(03:42):
remember.
She wanted to play for thechurch.
And Boniface said oh yes, mike,i'm sure glad I got somebody.
I know I worry sick aboutCrystal.
Do you think you can help mefind her?
And this was not the first timethat Mr Hill had received a
plea for help from a parent.
We worry about a tardage child.
(04:05):
In hearing Boniface softs, hepatiently worked through the
standard information in asoothing voice that he had
developed through similarexperiences.
And she said I drove everywhere, I call them all.
Nobody have seen her.
I just know that something hashappened to her And if she's
(04:26):
dead I'll kill myself.
And so here Mr Hill interjectedand said no, no, boniface, let's
not get carried away.
I'll tell you what As soon asshe comes home, call me and I'll
see if a patrolman can come outthere and we'll give her a good
scare, just in case she everthinks of pulling a stunt like
(04:47):
this again.
She said will you, mike?
That would be so nice.
He said you know I will,boniface.
Let me ask you, mrs Boniface,just how old is Crystal now?
She said she's 17, a senior inhigh school.
And he said wow, wow, can youbelieve that?
You know, i bet you're so proud.
She said well, i'm mostly am,but I'm sure worry now.
(05:10):
And he said I know you are, butnow they were aware of this.
Maybe you can relax some.
And first thing, you knowshe'll be home and you can give
her a big hug before you scoldher.
Okay, mr Hill at this momentfelt that there wasn't much he
could offer Boniface.
He, you know he, was relievedthat her voice had even a little
(05:32):
.
And then he said I'm going now,but you give me a call back
when she comes in.
You hear, everybody knowsCrystal, miss Bonnie, and she's
a good girl.
She's not the type to getinvolved with trouble or
somebody up to no good.
And now the Boniface dismissedthe soothing words.
She thanked the Spatterhill.
As she hung the phone she wasstill terribly worried for her
(05:57):
beloved only child.
Boniface had made several morecalls that morning to Crystal's
friends and became moredesperate and frantic with each
one And finally, atapproximately 8 am, she called
911 with an unrestrained pleafor help and finding her
daughter.
She said I can take it no more.
(06:19):
Why won't you do something?
I'm about to go crazy for worry.
She ain't come home yet And Idon't.
I know that somebody's got hersomewhere and she's dead.
I just know she's dead.
The morning dispatcher askedWade Petty, a uniformed officer
with the Horry County PoliceDepartment, to drive out to Miss
(06:42):
Todd's house and talk to her.
Though Crystal was overdue byonly several hours, a missing
report could be filed to consolethe distraught mother.
At 8.44 am, Officer Petty leftthe police department in
downtown Conway, South Carolina,and headed west on Highway 378.
(07:03):
He had no idea that what beganthat risk November morning as
small town routine policeassistance would quickly become
the largest investigation in thehistory of the county, an
investigation into a crime notthought possible in a rural town
of Conway.
Officer Petty, as it turned out, was only the first of many who
(07:29):
would make the 8 mile tripthrough the countryside to
Juniper Bay Road and the home ofCrystal Fetard.
It was late in the evening andthe temperature had dropped, and
Ken registers thin cotton shirtprovided little protection
(07:51):
against the cold evening air Andhe mentions that to his
girlfriend.
He said, tammy, i'm cold, andhe had his hands into his
pockets.
His elbows will hug his sides,making it difficult for his
girlfriend's hand to slip aroundhis arm without him squeezing
(08:11):
it and preventing her frompulling away, and she said I'm
okay, i know you are, butthere's just a couple more races
and I just want to stay.
I can write home with Misty ifyou want to go on.
The gold card track in Aynor,south Carolina always buzzed
with excitement for the Saturdaynight races, but tonight he was
(08:33):
especially busy.
The extra priced money of theupcoming Thanksgiving weekend
races was allure and had drawnthe attention of well over 100
carters, some of whom trailertheir home made machine hundreds
of miles to reach the remoteDutch city park raceway.
All were eager to fine tunetheir driving styles to local
(08:55):
conditions and stood closetogether in the small pit areas
awaiting their turns and duringa chance to talk.
Racing Fans standing around theoutside of the track move in
cinch with the nonstop action,stepping forward to the track
fence for the heats of theirfavorites and then back to the
staging area to talk with thedrivers and watch the next group
(09:18):
get ready.
Even though it was getting late, pickup trucks and hot cars
continued to jam the parking lotas the wine of the two stroke
engines filled the airreverberating off the pines of
the perimeter of the dirt track.
Kent turned his head quickly andtime his direction and then
(09:39):
look at the crowd miling aroundthe concession stand And she
said what is it now?
Her voice was reflecting on agrowing irritation and he said
stop looking over there.
You were looking over myshoulder.
And Tommy said I was not, i waslooking at you.
(09:59):
But he glanced again toward theconcession stand and scoured
why don't we just go?
And he shivered withexaggeration, demonstrating his
desire to leave.
And she said I told you I'm notready to go yet.
And then she turned and spunthe direction of a couple she
(10:20):
knew from high school and shesaid hey, yo.
And she abruptly walked away,leaving Kent standing by himself
.
Although Aina was only 12 milesfrom Conway, the small town's
social circles didn't completelyoverlap.
Kent knew almost everyonearound Conway where he had gone
(10:42):
to high school, and a lot ofpeople from Aina, where his
mother's family lived, but hedidn't know the boys and men
that frequented the go-karttrack and had told Tommy the
track wasn't a place to go to byherself.
Although she lived next door tothe track and had family that
worked there, she had to agreeHer family have always been
(11:03):
cautious because of the tracksRuvolo, cali, and though she had
been there numerous times whenher father and her aunt was
working, always checking in asshe arrived.
She wasn't allowed to simplyhang around the track And Kent
was upset because Tommy hadrecently gone to the track, now
(11:24):
wearing his ring, even thoughthey were going steady In no
fairness.
He knew that she had beenraising, she had been raising
friends since long before theystarted dating 13 months before,
and that she thrived from thesocial scene.
The track of 40 young teens inthe small county town.
Tommy walked back over, nestledher face into the front of his
(11:46):
shirt and she said, kent, itwould really be alright if you
don't stay.
Misty came over by herself andwants me to ride home with her.
And Kent said well, i don'tlike that, Tommy, you wrote with
me up here and I'll take youback.
Although Tommy's house wasvisible from the track, the dirt
(12:08):
road winding around to it wasdark and isolated.
She never walked too far fromthe track at night and shortcuts
in the country could bedangerous.
And she said, kent, i'll ratherstay up here than go home and
be bored.
Her curfew was normally 11o'clock, acceptable for a 14
(12:28):
year old, but she was allowed tostay out later if she was at
the track where her family couldwatch over her And she said
I'll be with you.
He said it's already after 11anyway.
Now one thing is interestingTommy's 14 years old and she
stayed in Kent, who is 18 yearsold.
(12:50):
And at 18 years old Kent didn'thave to be home until 1230 and
usually left Tommy's house closeto 12 to allow for a drive time
.
Tommy knew if they left thetrack to go to her house she
would be stuck with nothing todo, able to hear the excitement
nearby but with no way to getback.
(13:12):
She knew Kent was cold, thoughhe had not planned on being
outside without a coat or socksto keep him warm.
Earlier They have tended to hermom who had been injured in a
car accident a couple of daysearlier, and when some other
family show up to visit, tammytook advantage of the additional
mom sitters and asked if sheand Ken could ride over to the
(13:35):
track and see what OldExcitement was about.
Her mom, surprised that Kenagreed to go, said that it was
alright with her, and theyarrived at the track a little
before 10 o'clock and had beenthere over an hour, and Tammy
said this might be the last raceanyway.
Now, one by one, the cars sliparound the dirt, turns and spit
(14:00):
along the straightway, as thewide-eyed spectators turn their
heads in unison And as theywatched the cars on the final
lap and the screaming carsrounded to turn 4 and slowed to
fall into the waiting stand areafor the final check, another
(14:20):
group moved out of the stagingarea to the starting line And
Tammy said whoa, i guess thatwasn't the last race, darling.
There sure are a lot of peoplestill here tonight.
And Ken said well, we couldjust go on now.
And she said well, you justhave to go.
If you're ready, i'm staying.
(14:42):
I'm going to tell Daddy thatI'll be here.
So she went away before hecould protest And Tammy worked
her way through the crowd to theconcession stand.
Her aunt was doing boot keeping.
She said tell Daddy, i'm goingto stay and ride home with Misty
.
And she said isn't Ken here?
(15:03):
That's?
the aunt said that And she saidyeah, but he's cold.
I'm going to get him to go on.
And the aunt said you guys arenot fighting, are you?
She said no, ma'am, not really.
I just don't want to go yet.
And he's just being Ken.
She said OK, i'll tell him, butwe're fixing to get real busy
(15:25):
tallying up.
So keep an eye out.
She said I will see you later.
So Tammy made her way throughthe crowd, found Ken talking to
an old friend through thestaging area fence And seeing
her approach, ken said OK, socan we go now?
And he said it loud enough thatit turned heads And,
(15:51):
recognizing from the othersreaction that his question
probably sounded more like athread, can lower his voice And
he said this is the last race,you know.
Tammy dropped her head at thecomment, step close to Ken And
she said I'm going to staydarling, but I want you to go on
and get warm.
You're going to be so handsomein the morning leading the music
(16:11):
and you do not need to catch acold now.
So Ken said well, i'll watchthe last race and then we'll go.
So Tammy pulled her hand awaylook at the track.
As the race began And she wasavoiding looking in his
direction.
She was getting a little mad atthis point As the cars crossed
(16:32):
the finish line several minuteslater and yet another group
filed from the staging area tothe starting line.
Tammy took Ken's arm And heslowly relented to her insistent
stare and moved with her towardthe car And she said I'll wait
(16:54):
with you as your car warms up,but I'm not going with you, i'm
staying.
So Ken unlocked Tammy's door,hurry around to slide his
shivering body onto the coldseat.
He turned the key and theignition And he started rubbing
his hands together between histightly clenched legs.
(17:15):
And as they waited for the carto warm, you know Tammy leaned
across the center, laid her headon Tammy's shoulders.
You know kisses here and thereAnd the?
the was like 10 minutes.
After that the car was warmenough and they talked for a
(17:37):
little bit and kiss some moreand make plans for the next day.
The Registered Families Churchwas meeting in a new building
for the first time the followingmorning And Ken had spent
Saturday morning putting thefinishing touches on an altar he
and his father had built forthe sanctuary.
(17:57):
The small church of 35 membersrelied heavily on member
participation and always foundthat the registers could be
counted on when somebody neededto.
Something was needed to be done, ken.
Ken had scrubbed the floors atthe church and made preparations
(18:17):
to lead the music the next dayfor the opening service And she
said remember, it's harvest daytomorrow at my church if you're
and you're invited to come andeat with us.
And Ken said yeah, i remember,but I don't know when I will get
out.
So it looks like Tammy and Kenwere going to different churches
(18:42):
.
And then he said well, that'sokay, call my house when you're
ready to come, and if I'm nothere, just come on to the
fellowship home.
And he said okay, do you wantme to call you when I get home
tonight, in a little while?
And she said well, i'llprobably be down here until late
.
And he said well, you'll becareful now, don't get hurt.
(19:05):
She said I won't.
And she pulled away, got out ofthe car, walked back to the
track and he can watch as Tammyjoined her waiting cousin.
And then he put his car in gearand backed off of the parking
space and he decided that he wasgoing to take the long way home
(19:27):
Now.
In the meantime, there's a partyat a pound house where Christa
Fetod was part of And she waswith her friend Carla, and this
(19:47):
party in this pond, uh, pondhouse was loud, it was crowded,
and, um, her friend Carla saidHey, i think I'm getting close
to curfew, we need to leave now.
And Crystal said yeah, let's go.
So, crystal, um, smile at apassing friend.
(20:07):
As she placed her on finishbeyond the counter.
She followed Carla to the doorand the friend said you look
like you're a little lit.
And Crystal said no, that's thefirst beer I have had.
And she said I gotta go soon.
You just got here.
And she said yeah, um, carla'sgot to be home by 1115 and I'm
(20:28):
driving.
And, um, she scanned the roomagain to see if Sammy had
re-emerged from the back withthe girl he had brought to the
party.
And he, he had not.
So, the friends, how you comingback?
and Crystal said, well, maybe,but she just said that just
trying to be nice, because shewould definitely not be back.
(20:51):
So she said try, you try to doto come back.
Okay, we need to catch up.
And then, um, she, she startedtalking to another person.
And you know this was justanother Saturday for Crystal.
Um, like any other Saturday,after an early dinner with her
(21:14):
mother's family in the nearbytown of Marion, crystal had set
out in search of her friends andsomething to do.
And in Conway, where there werenot a lot of organized
activities, teens traditionallygathered together to see what
the night would bring, and thatmeant showing up downtown at
(21:36):
Minnesota fats, a local, a localteen hangout, or over the at
the edge of town.
There was a couple of monthsaway at the mall, and there was
um.
I have my regular loop aroundthe town And that was the only
(21:57):
mall that the town had, ofcourse, and for several years it
had been a cruising spot Andall the kids knew that if
anything at all was going on themall, than was the place.
Crystal was not in a party moodbut, having recently regained
her driver's license, she wasexcited when she heard about uh
(22:22):
get together at a friend's houseoutside of town And when she
wanted to go alone, she killedtime around the mall and waited
until her best friend, carla,got off from her part-time job
at a department store calledBelts, and Crystal had
originally planned to meet hercousin, kevin, but that fell
(22:44):
through when he started partyingwith friends and forgot to call
.
She also didn't receive a callfrom Jamie, a boy she had
recently started dating and, asa lot resorted, she thought she
might hear from a young man fromthe nearby aviation school.
Crystal and her girlfriend hadon several occasions gone out to
party with some of the traineesand one of them said that he
(23:06):
would call if he could go.
On Saturday afternoon.
When Crystal left with her momaround 5 o'clock that afternoon
to attend the family dinner, shehad not heard from anyone.
At 9 o'clock Carla emerged fromthe mall and saw Crystal
waiting by her car in theparking lot.
She said hey, carla, how's work?
(23:28):
And you know she said oh, itfeels good to be off.
And although the 17 year oldgirls have known each other
since childhood, they had onlybecome best friends over the
last couple of years Now.
As seniors in high school theyfound themselves almost
inseparable on the weekends andhad started making plans for
what they wanted to do aftergraduation.
(23:49):
And so Crystal asked her youwant to go out to Dana's pun
house to a party?
And she said I didn't think shewas going to have any more
parties out there.
I heard she was real mad whenthe last one got out of hand and
the house got trashed.
And Crystal said well, that'swhat I understood too, so I
(24:11):
called her.
It's a surprise party for herboyfriend.
She said only a select groupwas told, but that me and you
can come, providing we don'tbring a crowd with us.
And Carla said what do you wantto do?
And she said.
Crystal said well, i guess Iwould like to go.
I feel like I should dosomething now that I have my car
(24:33):
back.
That's where everybody will be,probably.
So Carla said, including.
She said no, no, no.
Crystal said don't say it, idon't care if he's there.
So Carla waited until Crystaladded I just thought he might be
, it's all.
And Carla said okay, whatever,i have to go home first.
(24:53):
They're expecting me to comestraight on from work.
So she said no problem, let'stake my car.
So, following a quick call toCarla's mom, who imposed an 1115
curfew, the girls drove out tothe country.
At the party, crystal sat on acouch with Carla the entire time
and made small talk.
Carla's boyfriend was there too, giving Crystal bits of free
(25:18):
time to visit with several ofthe 50 or so teens at the party.
Crystal talked excitedly withher closest friends about having
her car back.
A car meant independence andthe spread out small community.
Crystal had been without a carsince a collision with a
telephone pole three monthsearlier.
She was arrested and chargedwith driving under the influence
(25:41):
of alcohol.
The police subsequently toldher that she could become an
informant to clear the DUIcharge, but she refused, saying
she wasn't the type to rat outher friends.
The charge was ultimatelyreduced to minor possession of
alcohol.
She lost her driver's licensebut got it back four days prior
to the party And once again shewas filled with pride over her
(26:05):
beautiful car.
Though Crystal did her best tohide her feelings, she is
different with Sammy arrived atthe party with another girl.
Crystal had known Sammy forabout two years and had her
heart broken by him severaltimes.
Sammy was a charming user whohooked up with Crystal when it
(26:28):
was convenient for him mosttypically for quick sex, not to
subsequently ignore or openlyshun her.
Carla disliked Sammytremendously and often said so
to Crystal, and Crystal in turnwould resolve to stop seeing
Sammy, only to find herself backwith him when she got the
chance.
Crystal had seen Sammy thenight before in Aynor and had a
(26:51):
good time cruising around withhim and a male friend.
Carla was suspicious of Sammy'smotive and was only slightly
placated when Crystal told hershe didn't drink or have sex
with Sammy.
Carla was not the leastdismayed at her friends' belief
that Sammy had treated hernicely and the hope Crystal
(27:13):
expressed that she might see himat the party and continue
building with him what shethought could be a normal
relationship.
Carla became angry at the partyas Sammy ignored Crystal and
refused to acknowledge herpresence.
Sammy's date, apparentlyunaware of any connection
between Crystal and Sammy,actually sat down on the couch
(27:37):
next to Crystal.
Sammy intervened by signalingto the girl who got up from the
couch and accompanied him to theback room.
And just before 11 o'clockCrystal said Carla, whenever
you're ready, let's just go.
And Carla looked at her watchand she said wow, i guess it's
getting close if I'm going toget home on time.
(27:57):
So she turned to her boyfriendand said we've got to go now,
walk us out.
And, following Carla's lead,the teens moved slowly toward
the door.
The party was in full swing andteenage bodies packed the tight
space as rock music blastedfrom the stereo And Carla said
(28:17):
in Crystal's ear just a fewclose friends, huh.
There was a good chance thatthe party house might get
trashed again.
And Carla was already at the carand locked in an embrace with
her boyfriend when Crystalarrived and said Carla, you said
you have to go.
And noticing that a boy hadfollowed her out, crystal turned
(28:39):
and told him we're leaving Andshe said I have been waiting on
him.
The boy said just to ring toCarla's boyfriend.
And Crystal said well, we canfix that.
She unlocked her door, got inand said to Carla in a loud
voice come on, carla.
And Carla was like, okay, geez,i guess we're leaving right
(29:00):
this second.
So she gave her boyfriendanother peck on her cheek before
getting in, on his cheek,before getting into the car, and
he stepped back as she closedthe door And she said to Crystal
, crank it up, i want to rolldown my window.
So Carla looked at herboyfriend and laughed as he
pressed his lips to the glass.
She kissed inside of the windowbut quickly pulled her face
(29:23):
away as the glass lowered AndCarla said you know, hey,
because she lowered the window.
She said you said you wantedyour window down.
She said Crystal, come on,don't take Sammy out on me.
But they start driving.
(29:45):
And Crystal got into the malland the parking lot just up
before 11.15 and pulled upbeside Carla's car.
Carla looked at her friend asshe pulled her keys out of her
purse and she said what are yougoing to do now?
And Crystal said I don't know,i'll probably get something to
eat or find something to do fora little while.
I got until 12.30 and I don'twant to go home yet.
(30:08):
And Carla asked her you're notgoing back to the party, are you
Tell me you're not?
She said no, no, no, i promise.
That would definitely not bethe right thing for me to do.
I'm sure I would run intosomebody in town.
And Carla opened the door toget out.
She felt a strange sense offoreboding for boarding and turn
(30:30):
around.
She said, crystal, be careful,okay.
And Crystal said okay, i onlyhave one beer, you know.
She said that's not what Imeant.
I just mean be careful.
And Crystal said don't worry,carla, i'll be fine.
So Crystal waited while Carlagot in, started her car and,
satisfied that her friend wastucked in, she put her car into
(30:52):
gear and pulled forward to theedge of the mall parking lot.
At the moment, and certainlywithout realizing it, she made
the most important decision ofher young life.
Checking her watch again,crystal noted that she had just
about an hour before she had tobe home and turned toward the
(31:12):
shortcut to downtown Conway.
Crystal sat at the stoplightand searched for her glove box
for her new tape.
The residential shortcut wasquiet, which wasn't unusual at
1130 on November in Conway.
Elm Street is a quiet tree-lineavenue that flows at one end
(31:35):
past a collection of old houses,some with large front porches
where town folks sit sweet teain the late afternoon, waving
lazily as neighbors and carspass slowly on the way to and
from downtown.
Crack concrete sidewalks on,even from borrowing tree roots,
sit back from the road bustle inthe daytime with children on
(31:56):
bikes and mothers pushing a babycarriage.
Elm offers a quick alternativeto Main Street, a block over and
little with traffic lights.
Teenagers raced down Elm,slowing only when there were the
road narrows to one lane toaccommodate a particularly grand
live oak someone long agodecided was too nice to remove.
(32:18):
Crystal looked up when sheheard the horn and saw a
familiar car.
It was a blue Plymouth sedanslooking dark in the moonlight as
it rolled to the top And KenRegister rolled down his window.
After a brief exchange Crystalparked her car and, taking only
her keys and leaving behind hercoat and purse, got in with Ken.
(32:43):
Ken and Crystal had known eachother all of their lives.
They had a date for a shorttime in 1988 but during
Crystal's last year in schoolhad gotten back to be very good
friends because they only had afew friends lived.
One more part.
It was convenient for themduring high school to
(33:03):
occasionally attend social andschool events together.
For a short time Ken gaveCrystal rights to school each
morning but stopped when some ofthe guys on the foot protein is
enuated that there was more tothe relationship than just
carpooling.
Ken denied having any physicalattraction for her and didn't
appreciate his classmates'taunts.
(33:24):
He considered his relationshipwith Crystal to be more like
brother and sister rather thanboyfriend and girlfriend.
It was Crystal, however, whostopped her dating.
She said I don't want to dateKen no more.
Mama Crystal had told BonnieFaye when Ken asked her out
again six months before gettinginto Ken's car that night on M
(33:48):
Street.
She says his things likecigarettes and all he wants to
do is have sex.
So I told him no.
Bonnie Faye wasn't disappointedwith her daughter's decision,
even though she liked Ken andhad originally encouraged
Crystal to date him.
When Crystal told her that Kenonly behaved nicely at home,
(34:12):
bonnie Faye told Crystal thatshe was right to not go out with
him anymore.
And the mother said the oneswho are the nicest around home
are often the ones that are themeanest when they're away from
other people.
Ken and Crystal casually saweach other.
Ken was very busy.
He had a new job with SantyCooper Electric, attended
(34:35):
evening classes at HorryGeorgetown Technical College and
had a new girlfriend in hislife, a young cheerleader from
AINER.
What little social time he hadwas typically spent with her at
school, athletic events, go cardraces, movies and church Still
perhaps does to be neighborly.
Ken continued visiting the tuts, sometimes when Crystal wasn't
(34:57):
there.
One route into town took Kenright past Crystal's house.
He stopped by the day.
Crystal went to get back herlicense but refused her request
for a ride to the Department ofMotor Vehicles After washing her
car to get it ready to driveagain.
Crystal went into the house andtold her mother that Ken had
again approached her aboutdating And she said he must
(35:21):
think enough a lot of you towant to go with you And him
already dating another girl.
That's what Bonnie Faye toldher.
No one would ever knoweverything that happened on that
day.
No one would ever knoweverything that happened on that
night to place two teenagerseach within an hour until curfew
(35:42):
together in a car on a dark andsecluded country lane.
Crystal knew that Ken seemed tohave successfully removed
himself from the party scene inConway He no longer drank or
attended rowdy parties.
He had told Crystal's cousin,kevin, to get a good girl to
(36:02):
help strain out his life.
Whether he spoke with Crystalabout her behavior is unknown.
According to Crystal's friend,she too was trying to strain up.
They didn't think she had beenvery successful.
Perhaps Crystal climbed intothe car with Ken to persuade him
to devote how he had brokenaway from his old friends and
(36:23):
old habits.
Perhaps she was curious abouthow he avoided backsliding in
the face of the temptationsoffered by the hometown crowd.
Perhaps he had some newknowledge of self-control or
self-restraint.
Perhaps he has something to dowith his girlfriend.
Perhaps she was just lonely andneeded some company.
(36:51):
The car seat barely had time tocool from Tammy's warmth before
Crystal was strapped in andtraveling with Ken to a parking
spot just outside of Conway.
Following Crystal's directions,ken slowed the car and made a
turn onto a two-lane dirt roadthat appeared as a shared drive
between two houses.
Driving quickly down the roadand over a little bridge, he
(37:16):
pulled into a small opening tothe right.
The dirt lane amounted tolittle more than a path, with a
grass strip running between twobare threads, scrubbed oaks and
pine standing in raggedy patchesalong the sides provided a
sparse cover typical of landthat had been cleared and
(37:37):
allowed to grow back naturally.
Beyond the trees ahead they sawwhat, in the moonlight, looked
like an open field, seeing noother cars.
As they neared the end of thelane, ken suddenly cucked the
ignition.
Crystal looked at her, watchedin the dim light of the car and
(37:57):
casually said Remember, we don'thave long?
Yeah, ken responded.
Within minutes Ken and Crystalwere kissing but were probably
began as consensual sex for thelong time.
Friends went terribly wrong.
Something happened to release adeadly impulse.
Other lesson games, fueled byfears and fantasy, suddenly
(38:20):
turned into a frenzy assault.
Minute after unending minute,sounds of torment filled the
night as a bloody knife thrustforward again and again, passing
upturned hand placed futilelyin harm's way as a pitiful
(38:41):
defense against a young manintent on silencing her screams.
Even after the life force wascompletely drained from
Crystal's crumpled body, thenight continued to bear witness
to the savage of an unspeakabledeprivity, ending not with a
sated need as much as achildhood adversion.
(39:02):
What was left was cast asidewithout concern, only to become
someone else's nightmare.
What was left would foreverchange the life of a community
Officer.
Wade Petty had been with theHorry County Police Department
(39:25):
for less than a year but wasnonetheless a seasoned cop.
As part of his acclimation tothe Horry County Police
Department, perry had beenapprised of the tensions between
Eastern and Western Horry RitesOperating primarily in the vast
rural sections of the county.
(39:46):
He had to familiarize himselfwith each of the little
communities and the names of thefamilies who had made their
homes there for many generations.
Because many of the communitieshave names not recognizable to
a post office, the task offinding one's way around, he had
found, could become tiresomeand occasionally frustrating.
(40:09):
A dispatcher's advice to askfor directions could produce
different results.
Many of the country folks,while not necessarily suspicious
of the law, wereself-sufficient and needed to
know that the status quo wouldremain intact.
They were hardworking,god-fearing people who had lived
(40:32):
their lives with minimalinterference, and that's how
they wanted it to stay.
Oh and all Petty had managed.
His attention to detail pay offas he navigated the two lane
black tops and numerous dirtroads cursing through the
(40:53):
countryside.
Petty was particularlyinterested by police records
which revealed that most teenageboys and adult men living in
western Horry counties stillcarried knives.
He knew farmers needed them astools for a variety of everyday
tasks.
(41:13):
Knives are certainly useful forhunting and skinning, game
cleaning, fish and woodworkingand for just about anything else
that needs doing on a farm.
The best knives for farmers arethe combination knives with a
variety of blades fitting into acase that can be tucked away in
(41:34):
a pocket or worn on a belt.
He had also learned that manyof the farms around Conway had
long ago been divided, sold,subdivided and sold again and
again.
In the modern era of bigbusiness farming, most of the
county's residents no longermade their livings off the land.
(41:56):
Many of the smaller operationshad shut down and people have to
leave the land they socherished to find game for
employment elsewhere.
Riding through the countrysideone now sees but a few
dilapidated grain, skeletons oftobacco barns and smoke houses
remaining among the mothers'brick homes and mobile home
(42:19):
parks.
An interesting result of thispolice record show is that most
confiscated knives are lockblades.
A lock blade is a single longblade that is very sharp,
possibly serrated, locks intoplace when open and folds away
(42:39):
only when released.
Perhaps most alarming is thatthe knives are no longer
considered tools.
They are now considered weapons.
Records further reveal thatmost of the old boys in western
Horry County know how to usethem.
On that Sunday morning, november17, officer Petty slowed his
(43:03):
cruiser as he approached a blackand white mailbox posted with
the numbers he had been givenand pulled into the yard of a
grey trailer home with latticeunderpinnings.
He noted no visible signs ofdisrepair, although the house
looks like it was more than 20years old.
The yard was small and borderedon the front by a six foot
(43:24):
drainage, ditch and down eachside by a hot pot of shrubs.
On the front and side of thehouse was a narrow wooden porch.
Less than 50 feet away andadjacent to the trailer house
was an older weathered farmhousepartially shaded by four huge
red oak trees.
The farmhouse had an open frontporch with two red wooden
(43:48):
couches.
A hand crack water pump rosefrom a four inch black pipe.
Behind the house, officer Pettycould see a converted barn
sheltering a rusting automobileand directly behind that an old,
(44:08):
splintered, broken throughtobacco barn.
An old white dog positioned tosoak in the morning sun lifted
his head and briefly eyed theofficer.
Bonnie Faye Todd stepped out ofthe trailer house and greeted
Petty on the front porch.
Petty's first thought was thatshe looked as she had not slept
all night.
She appeared nervous andfidgety.
(44:32):
With her short tassel grey hairand leather tan skin she looked
more like grandmother than themother of a teenager.
Her eyes were bloodshot fromcrying and she smelled of too
many cigarettes and cups ofstrong brewed coffee.
The officer identified himself,stepped into the living area of
(44:52):
the house and began thestandard interview process for a
missing home of missing personsreport.
Boniface described Crystal as17 years old, with brown hair
and blue eyes.
She thought Crystal was aboutfive three and weighted around
112 pounds.
When last seen by her motherthe night before, she was
(45:13):
wearing blue dungarees, a printtop, brown shoes, white socks
and was carrying a brown leatherjacket.
She was driving her 1991metallic blue Toyota Celica with
a personalized tack that saysSea Todd.
Boniface mentioned to Petty thatshe had called several of
(45:36):
Crystal's girlfriends earlierthat morning.
The girls were eager to helpand had ridden into Conway and
driven to all of the placeswhere they usually hung out.
They had found Crystal's carpark at Conway Middle School off
of Elm Street.
Now that Boniface had said so,officer Petty remembers seeing a
(45:57):
metallic blue Toyota park inthe schoolyard earlier that
morning.
He had not seen anythingsuspicious about it, though nor
did he mention it to Boniface.
At 9.15 the phone rang andBoniface excused herself to
answer it.
She said maybe that's Crystal.
Petty scanned the room and sawa large portrait of a pretty
(46:18):
teenage girl and he thought thathas to be Crystal.
Several minutes later OfficerPetty and Boniface were outside
in the yard when a blue PlymouthSundance pulled out.
Here he is.
Boniface told the officerthat's one of Crystal's best
(46:39):
friends.
I just bet he can't help usfind Crystal.
When the car stopped, a tan,muscular young man with a
sunburn face and sandy blondehair got out and walked across
the lawn.
He embraced Boniface and kissedher on the cheek.
The young man introducedhimself to the officer with a
(47:00):
firm handshake and tentativesmile.
He said I'm Ken Register.
I was on my way to church I'mafraid of I'm a friend of
Crystal's and he was even havinga tire that you could tell that
he was a church Sunday close.
And Boniface exclaimed oh I'mso glad you're here, ken.
(47:24):
Crystal still ain't got homeyet, so maybe you can tell this
policeman where you think wemight could find her.
And Ken said well, i can tellyou much.
I graduated from high schoollast year and I don't hang
around with Crystal and herfriends anymore.
The only thing I might couldtell you that would help you is
(47:48):
about a few parties I heardabout last night.
So Ken and Petty leaned againstthe Plymouth Sundance and talked
for ten minutes about thelocation of those parties and
where Crystal might have gonethat night before.
As they talked, ken led twocigarettes and he kept one for
himself and he gave the otherone to Boniface And Ken told
(48:14):
Officer Petty I don't know toomuch about those parties or the
people who go there becausethat's not my thing anymore.
Boniface called me last nightand asked me to go help her look
for Crystal.
But my mom didn't want me to goback out in the night air
because I had taken a code.
I told her that you know what Ihave heard about the parties
(48:36):
and I also told her that I willcall the hospital and see if
Crystal was there.
And Petty asked and did you,did you call the hospital?
And he said yes, sir, i call,but they told me there was no
one by that name in theemergency room.
Then I called Miss Bonnie andtold her that And he said about
what time was that?
And he said, oh, about 1.15, orsometimes afterwards you can
(49:01):
talk with my mom.
She was there with me.
So the officer thank Ken, wrotedown his phone number and Ken
apologized.
He said I wish I could tell youmore, officer, but I don't know
anything about where Crystalwas last night or anything about
those parties either.
Before leaving, ken shookPetty's hand again and raised
(49:25):
Bonnie Faye and told her not toworry.
He said Crystal's probably at afriend's house and just fell
asleep.
I'm sure she's okay.
After church I'll come back andhelp you look for her.
Bonnie Faye thanked him andsaid she knew that she could
always count on him to help whenCrystal wasn't in trouble.
And Bonnie Faye said you're thebest friend Crystal has ever
(49:49):
had, ken.
I just don't know what shewould ever do without you.
And after checking to make surehe had enough information to
complete the report, officerPetty left the tats, drove back
down Juventon Purbe road intoConway and went straight to the
Conway Middle School where theblue Toyota was still parked.
(50:12):
The trunk and car doors werelocked and inside he could see a
pocket book and several dollarbills and loose change in the
compartment between the seatsAnd he thought there's no
mistake about it.
This vehicle has to be the onethat belongs to the missing girl
.
To completely satisfied hiscuriosity, petty walked to the
(50:35):
back of the car and read aloudthe bold black letters of the
licensed tag See Todd.
Now, in the coastal region ofSouth Carolina, the autumn
weather because it's likeNovember.
(50:57):
It brings relief from the heatand the bucks of summer and is
welcomed by the town and countryfolk alike.
Now this is the time that youare not going to see a lot of
tourist traffic, and the coolerand drier for air signals a
return to a more normal way oflife.
(51:18):
Following the seasonal workschedule of the previous month,
the children are back in school.
Church activities have beensuspended for the summer.
They have been for the summerplanned.
The friends and family membersvisit each other more freely and
many of the locals stay off thewell-being tourist path during
(51:39):
the spring and summer month.
For example, they avoid thetheaters, they avoid the
favorite restaurants.
The hot months are when many intourism work non-stop, make a
large portion of their money forthe year, and others are simply
too tired after commuting towork through the summer traffic
(51:59):
to go anywhere unless it'sabsolutely necessary.
Fall in a resort area signalsthe beginning of rest, much as
the summer season does in otherparts of the country, Late
summer and the beginnings offall have an additional special
meaning for many citizens atHorry County.
Men and women take to the woodsin search of the elusive white
(52:24):
tail deer.
Hunting for deer is atime-honored tradition in the
South and is a family activitythroughout the rural areas of
Horry County, which has anabundance of the beautiful
creatures.
And South Carolina has so manydeer that drivers in the rural
areas need to be alert,particularly at night, to the
(52:45):
large animals feeding along thesides of the road and the real
possibility that one mightbounce suddenly into the path of
an oncoming vehicle.
Deer hunters use primitiveweapons or allow into the woods
in August for bow season andcompound bows and black powder
(53:07):
guns shooting 40 to 60 caliberballs require hunters to stalk
and kill their prey at closerange.
The regular deer season, whichallows hunting with long-range
weapons, opens around the mid ofSeptember and last until
January 1st.
It is one of the longestseasons in the United States.
(53:28):
Hunters are then permitted touse big scoped rifles in the 30
caliber range and to derive thedeer with dogs toward other
hunters positioned with shotguns.
Going out into the woods onesee trucks with empty dog boxes
pulled over on the side of thedirt roads and can sometimes
(53:49):
hear hounds in the distance asure bet that hunters are close
by.
Locals generally know betterthan to go in the woods in the
fall without brightly markedclothing.
For many families, hunting ismore than a pastime or sport.
It's a way of life thatsometimes supplements the family
(54:11):
food budget.
Young people are taught to huntand some actually bring home
food During the season.
Many families fill theirfreezers with enough venison to
satisfy their personal needs,with enough leftover to give
away or trade for other gamemeets.
Local schools are aware thatsome teenagers miss school to
(54:34):
hunt and sometimes parents willeven lie by saying the youngster
was sick.
The teens joke that you cantell the real rednecks by seeing
who's missing from school.
On the first day of huntingseason, sunday November 17, 1991
, started for the Allen Brothers, much as it did any other
(54:57):
Sundays during deer season, withpreparations for the daily hunt
.
Lloyd, 24, and his olderbrother, willis, were descended
from a long line of deer huntersand had been active in the
sport for as long as they couldremember.
Going hunting was as naturalfor them as getting up and going
to work.
Both were skilled and had anunquenchable love of deer
(55:21):
hunting.
They often stopped by thewildlife and outdoor equipment
store to swap storage with otherhunters Saber ring every minute
of the season.
Lloyd and Willis routinelyspend the days off in the woods.
Signs of deer energized themand drove them toward the
possibility of carrying homesomething like the big 12-point
(55:43):
buck.
They were sure had left afootprint edge in the sandy soil
somewhere beneath the woodedpines and hardwood trees.
The day before Lloyd and hisfather, lloyd Sr, had been
outside of Conway slowly ridingthe path and trails looking for
(56:03):
deer, and even though they hadnot actually seen any deer when
the day ended, lloyd decided togo back the next day with his
brother to check on some trackshe had seen in one area.
Stepping out.
The next morning, lloyd notedwith satisfaction that the year
was crisp, the sky was blue andthat was a perfect day for
(56:25):
hunting.
Lloyd bang on the door of hissister's mobile home and said
tell Willis it's time to go.
Tell him yourself.
She says, and Willis was stillin bed and Lloyd wasted no time
waking him and said come on,let's go.
So Willis didn't want to get up,but Lloyd was very insistent no
(56:49):
, it's time to to go, we'rewasting time.
And I saw tracks down that dirtroad next to that open field.
So we are going to go and lookand see.
And Willis complained that Iwas up half the night with my
girlfriend on the phone and saidI'm sorry but we need to go now
(57:12):
.
So quit wasting time.
So finally Willis set upscratches head and that dress
and Lloyd grabbed a box ofshotgun shells, checked the
gauge and he said okay, i'll bein the truck, so don't make me
wait, because I know thatthere's a big one waiting and
(57:35):
it's gonna have my name on it.
So Willis gathered his clothesand he was getting ready.
He grabbed his shotgun from therack and put it in the truck.
(57:56):
He said that he was starving,that they needed to go and eat
at Tommy's.
Lloyd said yeah, we can do that.
So a little after around nineo'clock in the morning, the
brothers stopped at a countryroad side store.
Willis purchased a soda and acorn dog to eat in the truck and
(58:18):
that is on the way to a roadcalled Colling's Jolly Road and
they got back on the truck andLloyd abruptly turned the truck
down the dirt lane leading tothe open field where he and his
father had seen signs of deerthe day before and he said keep
(58:40):
your eyes open.
Yes, that's what we saw deeryesterday.
And Willis said that when helooked where they were going,
they were going through thisnarrow lane and he told Lloyd I
think this is probably propertybow.
(59:01):
And Lloyd said no, we're justlooking.
And the truck is along, rollingfrom side to side as the wheels
track through the dirt tracks.
Neither brothers spoke becausetheir senses were trying to
focus on looking at anyindication of deer around the
(59:23):
area.
Willis was scanning the treeline of the Squabby Woodland on
Lloyd's side when the trucksuddenly slowed and stopped and
looking at a dark and spot inthe road ahead of them, lloyd
pointed and said look at that.
Willis looked where Lloyd hadpointed and reached out the
(59:44):
window to unlatch that brokenthe broken door and he said I
think that somebody killed adeer here this morning and
Willis said when he said that heleaned forward for a closer
look.
So Lloyd turned off the truckand climbed out and Willis had
(01:00:05):
already spotted a black trailand he said well, somebody must
have shot one and he run offover there in that ditch and he
stepped across the lane and hefollowed what looked like drag
marks.
Lloyd moved forward to whereWillis had first stood.
He said it's a.
That's a lot of blood, isn't it?
(01:00:27):
because what he was looking atwas a large damn spot and
several small pools of fresh redblood that were near the center
of a saturated area.
Willis stopped suddenly when hesaw a shoe on a slender ankle
sticking up over the edge of theditch.
(01:00:48):
He remained motionless as hestared at the shoe, confirming
to himself that he wasn't seeingthings.
His eyes followed the shoe toan ankle and ultimately to the
partially clothed body of amutilated human being sproed on
(01:01:08):
its side in the dry chrysalmleaves.
He turned his head and startedto call to Lloyd and nausea head
As he leaned forward to releasethe soda and corn dog.
Lloyd approached and saidwhat's going on here, man?
and Willis gasped betweenheaves and he said it ain't no,
(01:01:30):
deer Lloyd, it's a dead body.
He said man, you're lying to me.
So he stepped carefully aroundhis brother to take a closer
look into the ditch and Willis,you know he thought he has to be
exaggerating, cannot be a body.
(01:01:50):
But he quickly stopped when hesaw the shoe and he said what in
the hell?
and he inch up sideways.
Lloyd turned his head to lookover his shoulder and he was
indeed a body.
He looked back at Willis whostepped forward again for
another look.
His hand covered his mouth andnose.
(01:02:12):
Both brothers were transfixedand stare into the ditch and
Lloyd said I have never youthink it might be a woman?
and Willis gagged again andturned away.
He said I don't know anythingabout this man.
He said look at that shoe andthe clothes.
And he tried to lean.
(01:02:33):
Lloyd tried to lean over theside of the ditch.
He said that's got, that's gotto be a woman.
And Willis leaned forward andhe was taking the breath because
he's about to throw up again.
He said let's go.
(01:02:53):
Lloyd, in the meantime he wasstarting the scene blood seemed
to be everywhere, mixing asclumps with dirt and leaves, in
and out of the cuts on her bodyand face.
The hair was so matted hecouldn't tell what color it was.
Her lower abdomen, maybe herstomach, had been cut open and
her guts looked like they werehanging out.
(01:03:16):
And Lloyd said Jesus, thatperson was butchered up like an
animal.
And Willis was saying come on,lloyd, in case you ain't thought
of it, somebody or somethingdone that and I don't want to be
here if it comes back.
And that was all Lloyd had tohear.
(01:03:38):
Looking around quickly, thebrothers hurriedly climbed back
in the truck and Willis saidlet's go, let's go crank it up.
And Lloyd said I'm going, i'mgoing.
So he spun the tires and theson back out of the lane and
Willis watched out of the rearwindow as Lloyd drove back down
(01:03:58):
Collins Jolie Road and he saidin a really voice there's nobody
behind us.
And Lloyd said good, and hejust kept focusing on the road.
When they arrived back at theirsister's house, the brothers
practically gasped and unisonedquick, called the police.
You gotta call the police.
We found a body down in thewoods.
(01:04:20):
Hurry before somebody elsefinds her, or maybe the killer
comes back.
The call went into 911emergency dispatch at 9 10 am.
Shortly before 10 o'clock thepolice arrived at the trailer
home and accompanied Lloyd, hissister and Lloyd Sr back to the
(01:04:42):
site where the body was found.
Willis wanted nothing more todo with the dead body and
remained in the back bedroom ofhis sister's trailer until the
police left.
When asked afterwards about theexperience, he said quote I was
too scared.
It has seen all of that body inthose woods.
I have ever hoped to see You gohunting all your life and you
(01:05:07):
don't.
You don't never see nothinglike that.
When I see them guts hangingout, when I see her split open
like she was, i said to myself,willis, wherever this, this was
sick.
you know what I'm sayingwherever this, this was very,
(01:05:28):
very sick.
Thank you for listening to theBurtlebook.
Have a great week.
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