SC JAMILLA SMITH: Missing from Aiken County, SC - 2 Dec 2023 - Age 30 *Found Deceased**GUILTY PLEA*

Missing SC mother called 911, screamed, then vanished, deputies say

South Carolina police are searching for a missing mother of two who vanished after her ex-boyfriend showed up at her house, according to WJBF.

www.wsbtv.com

Missing SC mother called 911, screamed, then vanished, deputies say​

South Carolina deputies are searching for a missing mother of two who vanished after her ex-boyfriend showed up at her house, according to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.

Jamilla Smith, 30, has not been heard from since Dec. 2. Aiken County deputies said Smith called 911 saying that her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Harmon, had come to her house. Dispatch heard a scream and a man’s voice demanding she get into a vehicle before the call went silent.

When deputies arrived at the scene, they found a window screen that had been damaged, Smith’s keys on the ground and a shoeprint on the front door.

Harmon was arrested on Tuesday after a SWAT standoff at his home in North Augusta. He’s been charged with kidnapping Smith.

Harmon is the mother of Smith’s youngest child and had prior arrests for domestic violence.


MEDIA - JAMILLA SMITH: Missing from Aiken County, SC - 2 Dec 2023 - Age 30

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Vigil to be held Saturday for Fayetteville woman presumed dead in South Carolina

Prayer vigil to be held for Pine Forest grad Jamilla Smith, missing since Dec. 2 from her home in Jackson, South Carolina.

www.fayobserver.com

Vigil to be held Saturday for Fayetteville woman presumed dead in South Carolina​

The family of a Fayetteville woman who is missing and presumed murdered in South Carolina is holding a prayer vigil here on Saturday.


Kimberly Kite, founder of the South Carolina-based nonprofit Broken Link Foundation, said Wednesday the group has conducted searches and held vigils in the hopes of generating leads to find Smith's body. WPDE reported on Dec. 26 that a search warrant affidavit revealed authorities found "a large amount of blood" in a car rented by Harmon.

The couple had a volatile relationship with prior domestic violence allegations, Kite said.

She said that in a 911 call around 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 — the last time anyone heard from Smith — Smith told a dispatcher that her ex-boyfriend was chasing her and had hit her with a vehicle.

“She was pleading for her life,” Kite said.

According to WPDE reporting, one deputy responded to the scene, found nothing and left.

The following day, Smith's mother requested a welfare check when Smith didn't pick up one of her children from school. Her mother subsequently filed a missing person's report.


The family has decided to hold a vigil here because this is where she grew up.

"We want (the community) to honor her light," Malika Smith said.

“Let people see that Jamilla is a person and not just another statistic,” Kite said.

The vigil is from 6-6:30 p.m. Saturday at First Impressions Academy private school off Raeford Road, 6965 Nexus Court.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Bryan Hampton denied bail: Possible link to Aiken County mother's death remains jailed

A man charged as an accessory in the death and disappearance of an Aiken County mother will remain in jail.Jamilla Smith has not been seen in months, and author

wach.com

by Joey Mattei
Sat, April 20th 2024 at 3:25 PM

Aiken, S.C. (WACH) — A man charged as an accessory in the death and disappearance of an Aiken County mother will remain in jail.

Jamilla Smith has not been seen in months, and authorities say a man who turned himself in to deputies on Friday knows more than he is saying.

“I don't have nothing to do with this ma’am, I promise.” On Saturday morning. Bryan Hampton telling an Aiken County judge he is an innocent man.


He was visibly nervous and pleading with the judge to grant him bail, telling her he had nothing to do with the death and disappearance Jamilla Smith.

Hampton is accused of being an accessory after the fact and could face up to 15 years in jail.

Kimberly kite of the broken link foundation is working with Smiths' family, believes Hampton knows more than he is saying about smiths accused killer, Daniel Harmon, who is being held without bail.

“Things that we’ve learned over the last four months is he was considered Daniel Harmons right hand; he was the one that did everything for Daniel.” Said Kite.

According to officials, Bryan Hampton knows something about where Jamilla Smiths' body is. She has not been seen or heard from since early December.

<snip>

Bryan Hampton was denied bail and is due back in court on June 21st.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Mother of missing Aiken County woman seemingly murdered speaks out after long silence

Nearly four months after a mother learned about the death and disappearance of her daughter, she is speaking to WACH FOX News for the first time.Authorities thi

wach.com

by Kei'Yona Jordon
Mon, April 22nd 2024 at 11:08 PM

Aiken, S.C. (WACH) — Nearly four months after a mother learned about the death and disappearance of her daughter, she is speaking to WACH FOX News for the first time.

Authorities think Tina McCraw is one of the last people to hear from Jamilla Smith before they say her former boyfriend killed her.

For months McCraw has been struggling with the unimaginable grief of losing her daughter who she said was not only her best friend but the best mother to her grandchildren as well. Her father, her aunt, and other relatives have spoken out, but now the woman who brought her into this world and was likely one of the last to speak to Smith has broken the silence.

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More at link. ~Summer

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Third arrest made in connection to Jamilla Smith disappearance

Aiken County Sheriff's Office confirms an arrest has been made in connection to the disappearance of Jamilla Smith.

www.wfxg.com

Third arrest made in connection to Jamilla Smith disappearance​

Aiken County Sheriff's Office confirms an arrest has been made in connection to the disappearance of Jamilla Smith.

Investigators say Clyde Hendley II, 46, of Bath, was taken into custody Thursday morning at his home. Hendley is charged with accessory after the fact to murder. According to the arrest warrant shared with FOX54, Hendley "did render assistance by helping dispose of the victim...as well as helping [Harmon] dispose of physical evidence from his vehicle that was used to transport her body."

He is the second to see this charge in relation to this case. FOX54 reported on April 17 another man was taken into custody, accused of helping dispose of Smith's body.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Body of missing SC mother who vanished after screaming on 911 call found

Jamilla Smith, 30, vanished on December 2, 2023, from Aiken County, which is on the Georgia/SC border.

www.wsbtv.com

By WSBTV.com News Staff
May 10, 2024 at 10:56 am EDT

AIKEN COUNTY, SC — The remains of a missing South Carolina mother have been found months after she was reported missing, according to WJBF.

Jamilla Smith, 30, vanished on December 2, 2023, from Aiken County, which is on the Georgia/SC border.

<snip>

On Friday, police announced that Smith’s body was found in a wooded area off of Silver Bluff Road. Her cause of death has not been determined.

In January, Smith’s ex-boyfriend, Daniel Harmon, was charged with kidnapping and murder Smith. Two other men, Bryan Hampton, of Augusta, and Clyde Hendley, of Bath, SC, were also arrested in relation to the case on accessory after the fact charges.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

'This is only the beginning': Investigator, police speak after Jamilla Smith's remains found

The family feels relief that Jamila Smith's remains were found on May 10 in Aiken, but there is a still a long-way to go before justice is served in the courts.

www.postandcourier.com

'This is only the beginning': Investigator, police speak after Jamilla Smith's remains found​

Even though the remains of missing woman Jamilla "Millie" Shanae' Smith have been found, her family and police say the case is far from over.

“This won’t be a closure and this is only the beginning,” private investigator Chandra Cleveland said this week. “The trial has to come up and it will once again open up old wounds once he (ex-boyfriend Daniel Harmon) tells in court what he did."

Human remains were found May 10 after investigators were led to a wooded area in the 2100 block of Silver Bluff Road. The remains were identified as Smith, the family was notified and an autopsy was ordered.

Based on an autopsy conducted May 13, Smith's cause of death was due to gunshot wounds to the head, according to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables.

“We wish that the result could have been something else, but we knew based on our investigation going, it could have been a potentiality,” said Capt. Eric Abdullah with the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.


Abdullah said even though Smith’s remains have been located and three people are in custody, the investigation hasn’t stopped. He said the next step is to get the case ready for court with help from the Second Judicial Circuit Solicitor's office.

“Currently where we are at with the investigation is where we were able to make these three arrests,” he said. “It’s pretty evident that we will be proceeding in that direction and give justice for Jamilla and her family.”

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

‘It shattered our lives’: Ex-boyfriend pleads guilty, sentenced in Jamilla Smith’s murder

Daniel Harmon appeared in court Friday and was sentenced to 45 years for murder and 30 years for kidnapping, served concurrently.

www.wrdw.com

‘It shattered our lives’: Ex-boyfriend pleads guilty, sentenced in Jamilla Smith’s murder​

More than two years after Jamilla Smith went missing, her ex-boyfriend was sentenced to 45 years in prison for her kidnapping and murder.

Daniel Harmon appeared in court Friday and was sentenced to 45 years for murder and 30 years for kidnapping, served concurrently.


Harmon spoke, saying he was sorry and that if he could change what he did, he would. He asked for forgiveness.

“I deep down apologize to all six, seven family members or families that have been hurt from this. If y’all can, I just ask that y’all forgive me in Jesus name, amen,” Harmon said.

Smith’s mother said that apology doesn’t make up for taking the life of her daughter.

“He doesn’t seem remorseful. He tried to say sorry, but his actions don’t say sorry,” McCraw said. “It shattered our lives.”

Smith’s family says they remember her light every day, and her life was special. Even though Harmon took that life away, her family says they forgive as they try to move on.

“He will not ruin any more days of my life. I will not be filled with that hate, anger and bitterness because when you live like that, there is no joy. She was light and joy,” said Alexis Powell-Yearby, Smith’s aunt.

The judge accepted Harmon’s guilty plea and told him he would spend the next 45 years in prison.

The judge echoed Smith’s mother, saying there are no words for this case. He called it a tragedy for the community and asked how they got here, but said they are here nonetheless. He hoped the plea would provide closure with the case and sees it as a step moving forward.

After the hearing, Smith’s mother said that although it still doesn’t feel like justice, the decision provides closure.

“For us, there’s closure. There’s a sense of peace. A lot of the family members spoke on that, my mom, my sister, her aunt, that we can finally get some peace with it,” said Tina McCraw, Smith’s mother. “But to me, 45 years ... it’s not enough. And I get that he’ll be 80, but he deserved ... I feel, life for life. ”

Despite her feelings about the sentence length, McCraw said the decision puts her family at ease.

“For us, there’s closure. There’s a sense of peace. A lot of the family members spoke on that, my mom, my sister, her aunt, that we can finally get some peace with it,” she said.