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The police chief of rural Elloree, South Carolina was arrested this week by agents of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) after allegedly vandalizing a vehicle on Halloween.
Shawn Edward Murphree, 54, of Elloree, was arrested on Monday (November 27, 2023) and charged with one count of malicious injury to personal property.
According to a probable cause affidavit accompanying the warrant for his arrest, Murphree “did willfully cause injury to the victim’s 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck” – which was parked outside the Orangeburg County courthouse at the time. Specifically, Murphree was observed on surveillance video “approaching the victim’s vehicle and intentionally scratching the paint with an unknown object.”
The affidavit went on to allege that Murphree’s actions resulted in a repair bill of $1,216.15.
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The victim of this alleged maliciousness was not named, but investigators indicated the individual was previously acquainted with Murphree.
“The defendant and the victim both have prior knowledge of each other,” the affidavit noted.
Murphree is accused of violating of S.C. Code of Laws § 16-11-510 (A). While the statute contains felony provisions, the specific charge he is facing is a misdemeanor given that the damage was below $2,000.
If convicted, Murphree could be sentenced to thirty days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
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As with anyone accused of committing any crime, Murphree is considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system – or until such time as he may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to the charge filed against him.
After being booked at the Orangeburg County detention center, Murphree was released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond. As a condition of his bond, Murphree is to have no contact – either directly or indirectly – with his alleged victim and must have permission from the court to leave the state.
His case will be prosecuted by the office of S.C. first circuit solicitor David Pascoe.
Located in northern Orangeburg County approximately forty miles southeast of the state capital of Columbia, S.C., Elloree was once home to more than 1,100 people. It has seen an exodus in recent decades, however, with its latest population estimate coming in at 562.
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RELEASE/ WARRANTS …
(Via: SLED)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven (soon to be eight) children.
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