There have been 23 fatal cases of domestic violence in Anson County, according to the Anson County Domestic Violence Coalition. Two were this year. In honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month last month, the coalition held a vigil to remember the victims on Oct. 27.
All data is from the coalition unless noted otherwise.
• Laura Parker, 25, was killed in 1929 by her estranged husband “and her body was hidden under two logs in a branch,” according to the coalition. “She had a cut on her hand and her neck had been slashed several times, with her head almost being severed from her body. Several days before the killing, she had him arrested, charging that he had assaulted.”
• Argatha H. Clark, 39, was killed in 1959. She was “beaten to death by her husband,” according to the coalition. “Mr. Clark had been accused and charged many times with assault but the warrants were always withdrawn.”
• Elnora Sturdivant, 24, was killed in 1966 by her boyfriend. “She was pregnant at the time and died during childbirth as a result of her injuries,” the coalition said.
• Rebecca Burns Morrow, 27, was killed in 1982. She was stabbed 13 times by her ex-boyfriend, Theodore Polk. “Hospital employees notified police when Rebecca arrived at the hospital with multiple stab wounds, cuts and bruises all over her body resulting in her death,” the coalition said. “Rebecca had four children.” Polk was convicted of manslaughter and given a maximum sentence of six years; he served one year, 11 months.
• Linda Kay Maner Walters, 34, was killed in 1982. Her husband, Purvis Walters shot her. “Her nine-year-old son witness the shooting,” the coalition said. “After shooting Linda, Walter turned the gun on himself, shooting himself in the chest. He survived. She did not.” Purvis Walters was convicted of second-degree murder and given a maximum sentence of 15 years. He served four years, nine months.
• Doretha Polk Smith, 44, was killed in 1983. Onslow “Sonny” McCormick killed her close to South Piedmont Community College in Polkton. “She died of multiple gunshot wounds to the back,” according to the coalition. “She was trying to get away from him.” McCormick was convicted of second-degree murder and given a maximum sentence of 20 years. He served seven years and three months.
• Mary Jane Lee Suess, 38, was killed in 1992. She was killed in a Lilesvile cemetery by her husband. “Donald (Suess) beat his wife to death and left her body in the cemetery,” the coalition said. “(Retired) Sheriff (Tommy) Allen said the scene was one of the most violent he had ever seen. Mary Jane had two sons.” Donald Suess was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.
• Sherri Feely Marshall, 22, was killed in 1992. She was “shot three times with a .380 semi-automatic handgun at the hands of her estranged husband, James Robert Marshall,” the coalition said. “Sherri was three months pregnant and her husband came to talk to her about the pregnancy when a domestic dispute took place. After killing Sherri, James then turned the gun on himself, shooting himself in the chin, with the bullet exiting the top of his head.” Marshall survived was convicted of manslaughter and given a maximum sentence of 10 years. He served three years, 19 days.
• Deborah Annette Wall Smith, 27, was killed in 1992. She was shot by her husband, James Thomas Smith. “Mrs. Smith was shot several times with a small-caliber rifle in front of the defendant’s home,” the coalition said. “Police believe this fatal incident was the result of a domestic disagreement.” James Smith was convicted of second-degree murder and served only five years of his 15-year sentence.
• Cindy B. McIntyre, 32, was killed in 1993. “(Ted Pravatte) tied Cindy’s hands behind her back and shot her three times while her minor child was in the house,” the coalition said. Prevatte was convicted of first degree murder, as well as two counts of kidnapping, and was sentenced to death. He is still on death row.
• Danette Streater, 44, was killed in 1998. She was killed in her home. “A gunshot fired by her boyfriend, Rick Cooke, ended her life and took her from her family and friends,” the coalition said. “He called 911, cried for help, and when the police arrived, took his own life. Danette wrote a poem that she asked to have etched on her tombstone that read, ‘I am but a lump of clay, but was placed near a rose and caught its fragrance.’”
• Jennifer Dawn Howell, 18, was killed in 2000. She was three months pregnant. “She was lured by the father of her unborn child, Eric Scott Mullis, to the Burger King parking lot where he had her drive to Cairo Road in Morven,” the coalition said. “He shot her in the head and left her body on a creek bank where she was found two days later.” Mullis was convicted of second-degree murder. He received a maximum sentence of 19 years and eight months; he served almost 15 years of his sentence and was released on Aug. 13, 2016.
• Mary Polk, 42, was killed in 2000. Jack Kelly Leak, her longtime boyfriend, killed her in June 2000, “yet her body was not found until two weeks later, decomposing in the woods off of (N.C. Highway) 742 North,” according to the coalition. “Jack Leak killed Mary by causing a blunt-force injury to her head.” Leak was convicted of second-degree murder. He served 13 years and five months of his sentence of 19 years, five months. He was released on Oct. 21, six days before the coalition’s vigil for Polk and other victims.
• Connie Newton, 37, was killed in 2006. Her husband, Doug Newton, killed her in a Lilesville residence. Newton was convicted of second-degree murder and was given a maximum sentence of 10 years, two months. He served six years, one month.
• Linda Pratt McCain, 45, was killed in 2006. Her husband, Lewis McCain, killed her after they had been married only 30 days. “Mrs. McCain was at home (in Morven) asleep when she was struck several times with a dumbbell by her husband,” the coalition said. “She was also stabbed repeatedly and smothered with a pillow.” Lewis McCain was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and second-degree murder. He is serving a maximum sentence of 49 years, seven months.
• Daisy Coleman Melton, 49, was killed in 2013. Her ex-boyfriend, James “Red” Smith, stabbed her at her home in Morven. “Ms. Coleman had previously attempted to file for a protective order but was unsuccessful,” the coalition said. “Several weeks later, this fatal incident happened.” Smith was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. He had been previously been convicted in a separate murder and released in 1997, according to records from the North Carolina Department of Corrections.
• Larry Lindsey, 58, was killed in 2013. He was with Melton and was also killed by Smith. Lindsey and Melton were dating and at Melton’s house when they were killed. Melton was stabbed and Lindsey was shot.
• Kim Campbell, 38, died in 2016. “Kim was allegedly killed by his girlfriend with a firearm on Feb. 4, 2016 during a domestic dispute,” the coalition said. “The case has not gone to trial as of this time.” Christa Anita Colson, of Morven, was charged with his death. She is currently being held in the Anson County Jail.
• Rodney O’Neal Smith, 24, was killed in 2016. “Rodney was a humble, sweet person who was loved by all,” the coalition said. “Rodney was taken from us suddenly due to a domestic dispute. The weapon used was a firearm.” Andrea Nicole Hammond was charged with his death and last appeared in court on Oct. 31.
• Two unspoken victims.
• Two unborn children.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.
