Fire at Bixby home

Blaze quickly extinguished at site of 2003 standoff

February 8, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER and CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writers

ABBEVILLE — The call came in at 4:18 a.m.
At that time, early Wednesday morning, a 911 caller told a dispatcher with Abbeville County Emergency Management that there was a fire burning at the deserted Bixby home.
The home — site of a fierce, 14-hour standoff between accused murder suspect Steven Bixby, his father Arthur Bixby and numerous state and local law enforcement agencies in December 2003 — is near Union Church Road on the outskirts of Abbeville.
The standoff with authorities was the result of a long-running property dispute over the expansion of Highway 72.
Two law officers — Sgt. Danny Wilson and Constable Donnie Ouzts — were killed that day, sparking a near-constant gun battle between the two men and authorities.
Now, with Steven Bixby’s capital murder trial in Abbeville mere days away, law enforcement officials are remaining tight-lipped as to the possible cause of Wednesday’s fire, and who might be responsible.
“This incident is still under investigation by SLED and our agents,” Abbeville County Sheriff’s Deputy Barry New said Wednesday evening. “The fire department put it out pretty quickly, from what I understand. We will try to determine what caused the fire, as well as any motives behind it.”
The fire is the first such aggressive posture taken in the days preceding the double-murder trial. Jury selection is taking place this week in Chesterfield.
The majority of the damage caused by the fire seemed to be limited to an area in and around the front door, and around the window just to the right of the front door.
Abbeville County Sheriff Charles Goodwin — who was in Chesterfield on Wednesday as jury selection continues — acknowledged that SLED and Abbeville law enforcement are fervently looking into the matter.
“We are working with SLED to pinpoint a suspect,” Goodwin said. “The fire caused minimal damage.”
One change has been made: Goodwin said there will now be a deputy stationed at the house “around the clock” to protect the property — which could still be used as evidence in the days leading up to the trial.
The sheriff also praised the firefighters who responded to the early morning call and kept the blaze to a minimum.
“It is very encouraging that these firefighters were able to save the dwelling,” Goodwin said. “A quick response like that is always appreciated.”
Abbeville City Fire Chief Mason Speer said he did get a call informing him of the fire sometime around 4:20 a.m. He said he was told that volunteers from the Sharon Fire Department would be handling the fire.
Kay Lewis, of Lewis Tire Market on Highway 72 in Abbeville, said she saw the commotion still ongoing at the Bixby residence when she arrived at work. The tire market is just a few hundred yards away from the Bixby home.
“I saw all the deputies’ cars and the fire truck down there when we got here,” Lewis said. “They had it all roped off. Someone came in the store and said they had ridden by earlier and seen smoke still coming out.”
Lewis admitted it made her a little uneasy to see the home on fire at a date so close to the beginning of the trial.
“Yes, it bothers me a little,” Lewis said.
Dr. Craig Gagnon — an Abbeville chiropractor who actually received a call from Rita Bixby the morning of the 2003 slayings — said he was surprised when he learned the house had been set ablaze.
“I have no idea what happened or why in the world someone may have set a fire there,” Gagnon said. “It could be anything. I don’t think there was any electricity running to that house, though.”
Abbeville resident Lorenzo Johnson said he has theories on why the fire was set.
“I think it was a payback,” Johnson said. “Maybe someone that knew the officers did it as a symbolic thing. Then again, it could have just been a prank.”
Brian Burton, of Ruby’s Car Wash in Abbeville, also thought the scenario surrounding the fire seemed fishy.
“What a coincidence, three years later and we’re right here at the trial and now it catches fire,” Burton said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Kind of a weird coincidence, don’t you think?”
Burton said customers came to the car wash Wednesday morning talking about the fire. One told him that he passed by the Bixby home early in the morning and that it looked like a scene from the hit show “CSI” with all the authorities surrounding the house.
Gagnon, like many around Abbeville, said he is ready for the trial to come and go.
“I think that is a consensus around here,” Gagnon said. “And I think some people around here think the trial may move right along. I’m not so sure. This is a court of law, not a court of justice. It can get tricky, especially when you are dealing with the death penalty.”
Diane Hilley, who works at the Abbeville Senior Center, said the fire adds more conjecture to the already circus-like atmosphere surrounding the situation.
“I think a lot of people around Abbeville are concerned,” Hilley said. “(They are) concerned about traffic safety when the trial is on and concerned about the attention that all this brings.”
However, Hilley said there is one group her heart goes out to most at the moment.
“I just feel for the families of the victims,” Hilley said. “They are having to relive all of this and they will be in the courtroom and all of that. I really do feel for them.”

Columbia attorney leading Bixby defense

February 8, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

CHESTERFIELD — The trial that will decide the innocence or guilt of accused murder suspect Steven Bixby will mark the eighth time Bill Nettles will have placed his services between a client and the death penalty.
It’s not an easy job.
Defending a death penalty case is the most draining of potential caseloads for defense attorneys.
But it comes with the territory.
“It’s the most complicated type of criminal case,” Nettles said as he prepared for this week’s jury selection.
It’s important to have help.
Nettles will rely on Greenwood Chief Public Defender Charles Grose as his co-counsel during the trial.
“It’s in the statute that you have a defense team,” Nettles said. “There’s so much that you have to do, and it allows you to delegate some of the jobs.”
“And the prosecution always has more than one lawyer, so it only seems fair that the defense has more than one,” Nettles added.
Nettles graduated from The Citadel in Charleston and the Widener School of Law in Pennsylvania.
He was a member of the Law Review, Moot Court Honor Society and president of the Student Bar Association.
Nettles also has served as a public defender.
After graduating from law school, he served his community as a public defender in Columbia for more than three years. As a public defender, Nettles has specialized in difficult criminal cases involving DNA, eyewitness identification and false confessions. He has successfully defended cases featuring each of these issues.
Nettles left the public defender’s office for private practice in 1995, and with fellow Columbia attorney Alex Sanders, he handles personal-injury cases, medical malpractice suits and pharmaceutical litigation.
He currently serves as section chairman for the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association and is on the board of the Richland County Bar.
Nettles is a former president of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has served on the faculty of the National Criminal Defense College, where he teaches trial advocacy.
According to the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, Grose serves as the president of the South Carolina Public Defender’s Association.
Nettles and Grose won a court battle with the prosecution to have the jury selected from a county other than Abbeville. They argued successfully that an unbiased jury would be impossible to select in Abbeville because of the amount of coverage the events of Dec. 8, 2003, received in various media outlets.
Tenth Circuit Court Judge Alexander Macaulay eventually decided against the defense when it came to where the trial would be conducted. He decided the Abbeville County Courthouse would be a suitable home for the trial.
Nettles says he doesn’t care where the trial takes place, but rather that his concerns were for security.
They are concerns he still holds to.
“I don’t care where they (have) it,” Nettles said. “My only concern with Abbeville is that it’s a very old courthouse. My concern was only with security. I still don’t feel that those concerns have been addressed. I feel that this trial would have been more secure had it been held at the Greenwood County Courthouse.”
Nettles has already moved on, though. Larger matters await the defense.
“The ruling was made,” he said. “We argued our case.”

Obituaries

Julia Babb

WARE SHOALS — Julia Boland Babb, 88, widow of Glenn Martin Babb, died Feb. 7, 2007 at Self Regional Medical Center. She was born in Laurens County, a daughter of the late Eugene Boyce and Lula Anderson Boland.
Mrs. Babb was a homemaker and a longtime member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother.
Surviving are one son, Hayward Glenn Babb and his wife, Janace Moore Babb of Simpsonville; her devoted daughter, Judy Inett Babb of Ware Shoals, with whom she made her home; a special grandson, Todd Babb of Greenville; one sister, Doris Culbertson of Greenwood; and several nephews.
She was preceded in death by three sisters, Mayme Sue Reid, Eugenia (Nell) Culbertson and Martha Mattison and two brothers, J.B. Boland and Fred Boland.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, 2 p.m. at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, with Rev. Billy Cathcart and Rev. Roger McCullough officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends Thursday 7-8:30 p.m. at Parker-White Funeral Home.

Kevis LaShawn Baylor

IRMO — Kevis LaShawn Baylor, 36, of 504 Ivy Green Lane, died Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007 at her home. Born in Greenwood, she was the daughter of Rosa M. Baylor and the late James T. Baylor. She was a 1989 graduate of Irmo High School and a graduate from the University of South Carolina, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.
She is survived by her mother of Columbia, SC; one daughter, Briana L. Baylor of the home; two grandmothers, Mrs. Anna Triplin and Mrs. Essie M. Baylor, both of Greenwood.
Services are 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007 at Old Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Epworth, conducted by the Rev. Clyde Cannon. Presiding will be the Rev. Sammy Robinson. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Burial will be in the Evening Star Cemetery. Robinson and Son Mortuary, Inc. will be assisting the Baylor family. Online condolences may be sent to robson@nctv.com.

Alice Boggs

CALHOUN FALLS — Mrs. Alice R. Boggs, 67, of 401 Peach Orchard Road, entered into rest on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007 at the Hospice Care of the Piedmont in Greenwood.
Mrs. Boggs was the daughter of L.V. Rudder, Sr. and Frances Cobb Rudder of Calhoun Falls. She was retired from Flexible Technology, a member of Calhoun Falls Pentecostal Holiness Church and Golden Age Club.
Additional survivors include her husband of 50 years, Wendell Boggs; two sons, Mickey Boggs and wife, Lee of Easley and Scotty Boggs of Calhoun Falls; one daughter, Donna B. Dobbins and husband, Mike of Augusta; four sisters, Margaret Johnson and husband, Vernon of Calhoun Falls, Mary Staples of Greenwood, Lexie Blackmon of Elberton, GA, Shirley Smith and husband, Junior of Oglethorpe County, GA; two brothers, L.V. Rudder, Jr. and wife, Elaine of Calhoun Falls and Steve Rudder and wife, Marilyn of Abbeville; brother-in-law, Billy Boggs and wife, Janice of Calhoun Falls; two grandchildren, Jason Smith and Kara Smith; four great-grandchildren, Ally, Clay, Landen and Chase; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Boggs was preceded in death by two brothers-in-law, Gene Staples of Greenwood and Howard Blackmon of Elberton, GA. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9, 2007 at Calhoun Falls Pentecostal Holiness Church, with the Rev. Ben Edwards and Rev. Virgil Manning officiating. Interment will be at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens.
Serving as pallbearers will be nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 or Calhoun Falls Pentecostal Holiness Church Building Fund, Hwy. 72, Calhoun Falls, SC 29628.
The family will receive friends on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Calhoun Falls Funeral Home.
Calhoun Falls Funeral Home in charge of arrangements for Mrs. Alice R. Boggs.

Frank Devette

ABBEVILLE — Frank Devette, 87, of 201 Thomas Lane, widower of Josephine Baker Devette, died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007, at Hospice Care of the Piedmont, Greenwood.
The family is at the home of a daughter Valeria Sherard, 300 Branch St.
Services will be announced by Brown and Walker Funeral Home.

Donald Getzelman

Donald R. Getzelman, 45, of 406 Marietta Drive, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007 at his home.
Born in Hampshire, IL, he was a son of Viola Allen Bishop and the late Donald R. Getzelman. He was an auto body technician, formerly employed by George Ballentine Ford.
Surviving are two sons, Stan Getzelman and Clint Getzelman, both of Greenwood; his mother and stepfather, Fritz Bishop; a brother, Scott Getzelman; and three stepsisters, Pam Ziller, Barb Taylor and Stacy Bell, all of Illinois.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Barrett Alewine officiating.
Burial will be in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Walt Wilson, Allen “Cotton” Wilson, Brian Bearden, Jim Taylor, Mike Bell and Jodie Ziller.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Willie (Billy) Gray Jr.

SALUDA — Willie (Billy) Gray, Jr., 70, died on Feb. 4, 2007 in Aiken Regional Medical Center.
He was born in Saluda County, SC., a son of the late Willie and Bennie Lee Andrews Gray. He was a member of the Mine Creek Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Gray of Newark, NJ; one son, Willie Gray, III, Lithonia, GA; daughter, Bonita Napier, Newark, NJ; brother, James Gray, Seat Pleasant, MD; five sisters, Louise White, Mildred Gray and Sarah Richardson, all of Saluda, SC, Nellie Smith, Columbus, GA, and Marjorie Miles, Washington, DC; four grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at the Mine Creek Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at noon.
The family is at the home, 492 J. Paul Road, Saluda, SC 29138.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home is in charge.

Betty Mullen

GREENVILLE — Betty Lucille Behrend Mullen, 77, former resident of Rock Creek in Greenwood, widow of Joseph Francis Mullen, died Feb. 7, 2007 at Greenville Memorial Hospital.
Born in Decatur, IL, April 21, 1929, she was a daughter of the late Henry Edward and Recil Bethel Behrend. Mrs. Mullen worked most of her life as a legal and medical transcriptionist. From 1985-2000, she lived in Hanover, PA, and was an active member and volunteer of St. Vincent Catholic Church, where she began the Bethany Circle and acted as a Eucharistic Minister for the church. Upon moving to Greenwood in 2000, she became a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Mrs. Mullen was also a former Director of Volunteers for the Peace Corps, Washington, DC.
Surviving are a daughter, Gail R. Underwood and husband, Douglas of Greenville, formerly of Rock Creek in Greenwood, and a sister, Vera Walker of Citrus Heights, CA.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, with Father Timothy Tebalt officiating.
Inurnment will be in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends at the church immediately following the memorial service.
Memorials may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Building Fund, 915 Mathis Road, Greenwood, SC 29649.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Mullen family.

Paula Roddy

Paula Marie Roddy, 2 months, infant daughter of David J. Roddy and Teasa Wilkie, 96 Bailey Street, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007.
Surviving in addition to her parents are a brother, Jacob Lee Roddy of the home; grandparents John Roddy, Barry Wilkie, and John and Peggy Dilleshaw; great-grandparents Susan Faulkner, Angie Haley, and Barbara McElroy.
Services will be 3 p.m. Friday at Harley Funeral Home Chapel, with the Dr. Ted Williams officiating. Burial will follow in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
The body is at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends Thursday night from 6 until 8 p.m.
The family is at the home of her great-grandmother Barbara McElroy, 201 Baldwin St.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Signing on the dotted line

Area players make it official where they will play in college

February 8, 2007

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

Throughout the day Wednesday, numerous area football players gathered with family and friends and took the first step to officially becoming college football players.
Some players are headed away from the Palmetto State to continue their careers, while others will suit up just a short distance away.
The Greenwood Eagles began the day with linebacker Zach Norman and offensive lineman Pat Aiken signing letters of intent with Tusculum College.
“I got a call last night and Wingate couldn’t offer me, so I knew Tusculum is where I’d end up,” Aiken said. “They lost three linemen so, hopefully, I can get into a starting position. They might use me at left guard, but anywhere they need me, I’ll be happy.”
Aiken’s parents, Patrick Sr. and Jacqueline Aiken, said that it’s a great feeling just seeing their son’s hard work pay off. Patrick Sr. added that if his son continues to put God first, he will be just fine.
Norman will continue his career as a linebacker at Tusculum and was excited when talking about his future with the team. His parents, Bruce and Janice Norman, are also excited about his opportunity and said they’ll continue to give their support.
“They really wanted me there and they said I can be a great asset to the team,” Norman said. “I’m willing to do whatever I’ve got to do once I get there.”
Eagles coach Shell Dula said he is happy to see the duo receive an opportunity to extend their career.
“They’ve contributed a great deal to our program here at Greenwood High School,” Dula said. “I think Tusculum is very fortunate to get them, and I think they’ll do a great job up there.”
Ware Shoals defensive end Latavious Williams signed with Newberry College as expected. Williams is the first Hornet to receive a full scholarship, according to coach Jeff Murdock, during his nine years as coach.
“It feels good because I always knew I could play football,” Williams said. “I’m just planning on helping the team out, especially on defense.”
Saluda’s James Mobley also signed with Newberry on Wednesday. Mobley was a member of the All-Lakelands team for his offensive exploits at wide receiver while also teaming with Williams in the North-South All-Star game on defense. His official signing will take place at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday in front of Saluda High School.
Abbeville’s Donquavious Evans and Ninety Six’s Kass Etheredge made it official that they would continue their careers at Pikeville College.
“I was a little nervous, but I pulled through it,” Evans said about signing day. “This is a really big thing in my life. I chose Pikeville because I have a couple of friends that go there so I know a little bit about it.”
Etheredge’s parents, Terry and Costella Etheredge, spoke of how much it meant for their son to have an opportunity to play for a coach who’s already familiar with his playing style. His mother added that even though the family will miss him, he now has a chance to start his life in college.
“I know what I can do on the field and I just needed an opportunity for that,” Kass said. “Coach Bryan’s a great guy. I just felt real comfortable with him and he just made me feel at home at Pikeville, so that’s the place I want to be.”
Emerald’s Kadarron Anderson and Chase Canipe released their plans to attend Southern Conference foes Furman University and The Citadel next season.
“I was ready to get it done,” Anderson said about the recruiting process. “It’s been long and hard, not knowing where I was going. Then, to finally get the scholarship from Furman was like a relief.”
While Anderson makes the switch from safety to linebacker, Canipe will work in the trenches as an offensive guard.
“I’m really excited about going to The Citadel. I’ve loved The Citadel since I was little,” Canipe said. “It’s almost a dream come true to actually be there now.”
Canipe’s parents, Lee, who played outside linebacker at Georgia Tech under former coach Bill Curry, and Tammy Canipe, said they think their son is up to the challenge of handling everything that comes with being a student-athlete at The Citadel.
“The recruiting process is always kind of weird because everybody’s got a specific thing that they’re looking for and you’re hoping you have a kid that fits into that piece of their puzzle,” Vikings coach Mike Clowney said. “These guys have been fortunate enough to where they’re able to fulfill a need for a school because of some goals that they set for themselves.”
Clowney echoed Anderson’s thoughts on the overall extent of the recruiting process.
“The biggest thing as far as the recruiting process is that it takes a lot of work and a lot of planning on their part,” Clowney said. “These guys (recruiters) are looking to spend probably $30,000 a year on a kid and they’re going to make sure that they’ve got a good product. It’s important for kids when they’re young to focus on the academic part as well as the skill part of it. Recruiting is national and you’re competing against people from all over the country and not everyone gets a chance to do it.”

Opinion

Second-guessing is easy for politicians’ campaigns

February 8, 2007

With early presidential primaries, South Carolina plays an important role in the Republican and Democratic presidential nominating process. That means, of course, that people hereabouts have the opportunity - or sentence for some, depending on the moment - to hear and see one politician after another ..... forever, it seems.
We hear, to be sure, all kinds of things, some of which demonstrate how politicians can, as they say, change horses in the middle of a stream.
Take Sen. Hillary Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards, for example. Both voted to authorize our effort to oust Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Now that they are both running for the Democratic nomination for president, both say they would have voted differently on Iraq if they knew then what they know now, as have others.
That leads to an obvious question? Didn’t Mrs. Clinton, Edwards and the others have the same information then as President Bush had? He obviously believed the same things they believed, and his action is the same action they agreed upon.
Being a Monday morning quarterback is easy. In the middle of the game, though, it’s another story. Still, that never stops the political exploitation by the outsiders looking in.