SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — An arrest has been made in the shooting death of 72-year-old Mae Edith Burgess, who was found dead in her Clarendon County home on December 14.
Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis and Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley announced the arrest of 22-year-old Jason Tyrell Ford, who is charged with attempted murder and multiple other crimes in both Sumter and Clarendon counties.
Dennis said the investigation began on December 14, when Sumter County deputies responded to a call about shots fired during a vehicle theft. The suspect reportedly shot at the victim multiple times before taking the man's car. While the victim was not directly hit by the shots, some sort of "debris" from the shots caused injuries to his face, according to Dennis.
Through surveillance video, deputies say they were able to identify license plate numbers and link the vehicle to Clarendon County.
Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley, said Sumter County deputies responded to a home in the Oakdale community in New Zion around 11:25 a.m. while assisting Sumter County with an investigation.
That's when they found 73-year-old Mae E. Burgess dead in her home, who had been shot twice, according to Baxley. In her yard, they found a Dodge Durango that had been stolen the previous day.
With assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's crime scene unit, one piece of evidence was determined to have DNA. That DNA was determined to be that of Ford, according to Baxley.
Ford was arrested at his home in Sumter County on Tuesday, according to Baxley.
Baxley said Ford appeared to have no connection to Burgess and the motive was to get her car. "She was a good woman," Baxley said of Burgess, who would have just turned 73 earlier this week.
When asked about the suspect having several outstanding charges, Baxley said, "She would have been alive today" if he had not been out on bond. "It's not just frustrating to me, it's frustrating to all law enforcement."
Burgess' car, a silver or gray 2017 Toyota Corolla with South Carolina license plate TGQ 705, has not yet been found, according to Baxley. Baxley and Dennis said the investigation is continuing.
If you have any information that might be related to the shooting or car thefts, police ask you to contact Crimestoppers anonymously in any of the following ways:
- Call 888-CRIME-SC (888-274-6372).
- Use the P3 Tips mobile app.
- LOG ON to www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red “Submit a Tip” tab.