WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.839 Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence, and is 2 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:05.639 not intended for all audiences. 3 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:08.519 Listener discretion is advised. 4 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:15.720 I had to look at what he did. 5 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:17.679 I had to look at it with my own eyes, 6 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:20.920 after putting everything I had in the finding her, And 7 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:26.519 I promise you that everybody involved is going down. So 8 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.600 I'm letting you know everybody who's involved in know something 9 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:35.079 and didn't tell us is going to pay. 10 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:40.079 Hello and welcome to season thirteen, episode three hundred and 11 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:44.280 sixty six of Sword and Scale, the show that reveals 12 00:00:44.280 --> 00:01:20.159 that the worst monsters are real. In late April of 13 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:25.519 twenty twenty four, something wasn't right in Denmark, the Denmark 14 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:29.959 in South Carolina, that is. That's when residents of this 15 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:34.239 small town turned on their nightly news and learned about 16 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:39.760 a troubling situation. A young mother of three had gone missing. 17 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.519 Sonight, rising emotions in Bamberg County as investigators search for 18 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:45.159 this missing mother of three. 19 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:48.120 Something's not right because she wasn't the mother that just 20 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:49.840 drops her kids off with anybody. 21 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:53.640 This is twenty five year old Megan Bodiford. Investigators says 22 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:56.519 she sent some concerning text messages to a friend last 23 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:59.200 Thursday and she has not been seen since. 24 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:02.439 Twenty five years old. Megan Bottiford was reported missing on 25 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:05.799 April twenty sixth, twenty twenty four, by one of her 26 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:11.000 closest friends, Grace Rindell. According to Grace, the last time 27 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:14.960 she heard from Megan was through text messages. Megan had 28 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:17.080 asked if she and her youngest baby could spend the 29 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:20.759 night at Grace's house, which was something that wasn't out 30 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:23.759 of the ordinary. Grace told her yes, and that she 31 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:26.400 would leave the front door unlocked before going to bed 32 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:30.080 so Megan could let herself in, just like she had 33 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:31.599 done many times before. 34 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:33.759 You had to follow up call with her. 35 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:39.599 Nine abral fin fist that I called her I had 36 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:41.960 take sleeping medication to he'll sleep the night, so I'd 37 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:43.599 already taken it, so I told her I couldn't try 38 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:45.879 just to get the baby come to me. So I 39 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:47.680 got up and I unlocked my door, turned on the 40 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:50.560 porch site and figured that she let her so thin 41 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:52.000 as she's done some many times before. 42 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:54.120 So okay, but she ever did. 43 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:57.240 The next morning, when Grace woke up, she realized that 44 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:01.400 Megan and her baby hadn't shown up. At first, she 45 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:05.719 assumed Megan had simply changed her mind, But after repeated 46 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:09.120 attempts to reach her when unanswered, that assumption started to 47 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:14.080 feel a lot less certain, so Grace drove to Megan's 48 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:15.240 house to check on her. 49 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:18.599 Also the night that did call her missing, I went 50 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:19.639 to her house. 51 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:22.840 Question on that how'd you get in? Did you kick 52 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:23.840 the door as signe you did? 53 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:26.400 Yes, that's we're just trying to We're just trying to 54 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:27.919 piece Everyone said you kicked the door. 55 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:28.840 It was out of big deal. 56 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:32.560 When Grace arrived at Meghan's home, there was no sign 57 00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:36.159 of Megan or her baby. At that point, she knew 58 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:39.919 something was very wrong, so she went to the police 59 00:03:39.960 --> 00:03:43.719 and reported her missing. It didn't take long for this 60 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:46.240 story of a missing mom to reach the local media. 61 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:49.479 This home used to be full of life, but now 62 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:50.599 it stands empty. 63 00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:52.800 April the eleventh, I heard from her, and I told 64 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:54.840 her I loved her, and she told me she loved 65 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.599 me too, forever and always, and then. 66 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:00.319 Those were the last words. Megan bought Afford said to 67 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:01.159 her cousin. 68 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:06.680 She's very strong and resilient and beautiful. She's a wonderful 69 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:09.520 mother and we need her home. 70 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.280 The pain is hard to put into words for her family. 71 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:14.879 But all they want is for Meghan to come home. 72 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:16.160 It's my baby cousin. 73 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:18.079 She got to come home to these babies. 74 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:20.399 I need her home. 75 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:21.720 I don't need her lost. 76 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:25.759 As Meghan's family held on to hope that she would return, 77 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:30.759 local authorities brought in the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, 78 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:36.360 better known as SLED to assist with the investigation. Part 79 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:40.240 of that assistants involved arresting someone close to Meghan, her 80 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:43.360 twenty eight year old boyfriend, jareded Davis. 81 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:47.160 A missing person's report says, due to prior call history, 82 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:50.079 concern for the safety of a baby in the home, 83 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:54.040 and her boyfriend having an active arrest warrant, deputies wanted 84 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:57.439 to request SLED to assist in executing a search warrant 85 00:04:57.639 --> 00:05:00.360 and then arresting him on an outstanding. 86 00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:03.639 War Jarrett was the father of Megan's youngest child, and 87 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:06.120 when officers arrived at his home to arrest him on 88 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:11.360 an unrelated warrant, they found the baby unharmed, but there 89 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:15.519 was still no sign of Megan. As her boyfriend, Jarrett 90 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:19.240 was an obvious person of interest. It's always the boyfriend, 91 00:05:19.959 --> 00:05:25.639 but it wasn't just their relationship that drew attention. According 92 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:28.959 to Megan's friend Grace, several of Jared's own friends said 93 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:32.360 he wasn't acting like himself on the day Megan disappeared. 94 00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:35.439 Something about him seemed off. 95 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:38.319 When Early and Danielle did show up at my house, 96 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:42.000 they kept telling me that they were being Jared. They 97 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:44.639 hung out Jared all day and he was being various 98 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:47.600 sspcius if I'm not letting them go to Megan's house. 99 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:48.040 To look for her. 100 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:53.120 Naturally, after Jarrett was taken into custody, investigators sat down 101 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:55.879 with him to talk about Megan and find out what 102 00:05:56.040 --> 00:05:57.959 he knew about her disappearance. 103 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:02.160 Your first time is Jared, right, Jarrett j R? 104 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:03.519 E T T all right. 105 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:08.399 So the other day you were I got I spoke 106 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:10.560 to you briefly, you already in the back of the 107 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:14.360 police car, and we talked just a little bit and. 108 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:16.759 Really just kind of following up. 109 00:06:16.759 --> 00:06:20.240 I know, I told you that we would, you know, 110 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:24.279 keep you updated on what was going on, and that's 111 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:24.759 what I'm. 112 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:25.439 What I'm here to do. 113 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:31.480 Since you are in custody, I have to read you 114 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:33.560 your Miranda rights just because we're gonna call to you. 115 00:06:34.680 --> 00:06:39.319 Not long after this interview began, Jared became emotional. He 116 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:43.000 broke down, frustrated that he was sitting in jail while 117 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:46.600 his girlfriend was still missing. He wanted to know why 118 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.199 he had been denied bail. 119 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:51.199 Really, you know, now we're gonna now we've got to 120 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:52.839 figure out how it happened. 121 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.560 What happened? So I'm gonna trying to pick your brain 122 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.399 a little bit more. I'll ask you what, well, why 123 00:06:58.439 --> 00:06:59.000 have you did that? 124 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:01.240 What was my mind? 125 00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:04.279 And then well, I had no idea on that this 126 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:09.240 was your previous charges or not charges? 127 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:13.079 I don't know, So I wonder, yeah, I don't even 128 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:13.680 know what you're. 129 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:21.600 Can you tell I see, we don't even know what 130 00:07:21.959 --> 00:07:27.759 are you in jail? CVV? When did that occur? Over 131 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:30.079 a month ago? Over a month after the Sheriff's office 132 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:34.040 or the city, And that's what the charges. 133 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:39.560 Jared had been arrested because of a prior incident of 134 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:45.879 criminal domestic violence involving Megan, which was something that didn't 135 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:48.279 exactly work in his favor now that she was missing. 136 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:53.680 So I want to go back into detail the last 137 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:57.720 time you saw Nagan? So what day was the last 138 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:01.680 day you saw her? On? Thursday? 139 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:08.160 That Thursday, Thursday night, Thursday night, okay, Thursday night. Probably 140 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:11.480 not what times Thursday night you remember last seeing them? 141 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:14.279 I don't remember, Tom, give me well, I was changing 142 00:08:14.279 --> 00:08:17.000 the baby, all right, it was it daylight was dark, 143 00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:20.399 and I was like, for fucking night, best with him? 144 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:23.959 I don't know, so after midnight. 145 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:28.680 So we're talking after midnight Thursday night going into Friday morning. Okay, 146 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.320 tell me about the conversation. Tell me about what was 147 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:35.399 going on between y'all two that day Thursday. 148 00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:38.200 Jer I claimed that the last time he saw Megan 149 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:41.279 was the day she went missing. He said the two 150 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:44.200 of them had spent the day together taking their baby 151 00:08:44.279 --> 00:08:47.159 to a baseball game. I'm not sure what kind of 152 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:52.240 baby enjoys a baseball game, but uh whatever, let's continue 153 00:08:53.320 --> 00:08:58.799 explain that everything seemed normal, enjoyable even but after they 154 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:04.519 returned home things changed. The two had sex and then 155 00:09:05.159 --> 00:09:07.159 an argument started being her. 156 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.919 Station later at night, y'all you were her sex. 157 00:09:10.039 --> 00:09:15.960 Yeah, so things were okay at this point. 158 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:16.879 Until the legatory to day. 159 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:18.480 I didn't she want me a nothing there? Yeah? 160 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:20.919 I didn't, and you didn't, and that's when she started 161 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:21.480 getting up set. 162 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:26.559 According to jareded, Megan became upset after they had sex. 163 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:29.360 He claimed that he tried to calm her down. 164 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:33.679 So she's mad, was cool out because she won't get pregnant, 165 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:37.120 wants to know the baby. She want a boy or girl, 166 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:43.120 wanted boy boy, any kind of At that point, she's mad. 167 00:09:44.039 --> 00:09:46.919 She thrown anything in the house. 168 00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:50.200 She like the usually if they could run a baby 169 00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:52.200 or like did the hold the baby, do his little 170 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:52.639 baby shoot? 171 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:52.879 He won't. 172 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:56.000 You won't escalate that if you're holding the baby. 173 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:58.120 Or she if I'm if I'm messing with the baby 174 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:02.360 around the baby. What happened so well, whenever she was 175 00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:03.120 when she left, I. 176 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:07.320 Was changing maybe everything and getting near the baby. 177 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:10.440 So you got the baby close by everything everything's usually 178 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:12.519 baby ain't close by. 179 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:13.559 She might throw. 180 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:17.720 Anything like that. 181 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:21.960 Jared admitted that past arguments between him and Megan had 182 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:26.080 become physical, but he insisted that it didn't happen the 183 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:29.639 night she went missing. Instead, he claimed that after the argument, 184 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:33.639 Megan simply left the house and he never saw her again. 185 00:10:34.279 --> 00:10:39.759 You her, that's matter before. Did any of that happen 186 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:43.480 Thursday night? So there was nothing physical Thursday. It was 187 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:45.200 just one of the ones that didn't heat. 188 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:48.799 Really, it was just she was the one really upset. 189 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.759 All right, How long after all this do you think 190 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:53.600 it was when she before she left? 191 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:55.840 How long do you think she stuck around the house? 192 00:10:55.919 --> 00:11:02.279 And because as she was as the bigger was going 193 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:04.679 back before she was was. 194 00:11:05.399 --> 00:11:06.039 Where she left? 195 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:06.679 Okay? 196 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:08.720 And what did she tell you when she was leading? 197 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:11.639 She said, she's leading the baby with me, since she 198 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:12.440 always has a baby. 199 00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:12.840 Uh huh? 200 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:16.200 Which she where she left? Like, I'm pretty sure I 201 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:18.600 told other one this. I thought she was coming right back. 202 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:23.320 Where you had she had been leaving. Where would you 203 00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:24.200 have thought she would have went? 204 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:26.559 I thought she was just went he graces for a 205 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:28.639 little bit, or came back, or he just left and 206 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:31.679 came back, or I got so she didn't come back 207 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:34.759 that night. That's why next morning when she ain't come 208 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:39.399 to her baby more than contact her mama, as if 209 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:40.159 she told her at all. 210 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:44.720 Much of what Jared told the investigators appeared to check out. 211 00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:47.080 They confirmed that he and Megan had gone to a 212 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:50.279 baseball game earlier that day, and that he had called 213 00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:54.600 Megan's mother the following morning asking about her. But something 214 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:58.720 about his story just didn't sit right. By this point, 215 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:03.320 investigators already learned that Megan was a devoted mother. If 216 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:08.919 she had stormed out in anger, it seemed very unlikely 217 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:13.840 that she would leave her baby behind. Still, while keeping 218 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:19.840 Jarrett firmly on their radar, investigators started to consider another possibility. 219 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:24.519 There was someone else who had been among the last 220 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:28.200 to hear from Megan, her friend Grace. 221 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:30.519 When did you report her? 222 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:34.559 Listen, I'm not believing it was somewhere between six and 223 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:36.559 seven pm? 224 00:12:36.600 --> 00:12:38.720 What I don't people if I asked you a lot? 225 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:39.840 But why why did you wait? 226 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:40.240 So one? 227 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:43.240 That was tough question. Like I said, not judging you, 228 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:44.639 No one's judging you. 229 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:46.600 You know when I. 230 00:12:46.679 --> 00:12:49.759 Heard her on the phone, you know, we had a 231 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:51.679 thing that excuse ever in danger to send me the 232 00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:54.360 address so I could send hope. Yeah, that's why I 233 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:56.960 immediately called it when I saw that. And she's only 234 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.039 non don't call just tinly. 235 00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:03.440 Grace claimed that when she woke up and realized Megan 236 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:07.360 had never arrived, she went looking for eventually forcing her 237 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:11.120 way into Megan's home to check on her. Yet, despite 238 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:14.360 this urgency, it took nearly twenty four hours for Grace 239 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.559 to go to the police and report her missing. If 240 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:22.240 she was that concern, then why wait? There was also 241 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:27.240 another detail Investigators couldn't ignore Grace and Megan's boyfriend, Jared 242 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:31.159 had a romantic history. 243 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:35.840 Did you have a relationship with Jared Davis? 244 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:40.559 We That's actually how I met Megan was me and 245 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:44.399 and jaredt had a brief, you know, kind of a 246 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:47.799 one night stand, and when I saw him posting Megan, 247 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:52.480 she investaged me, and you know, we talked about it 248 00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:56.279 and we decided to be best friends instead of fighting 249 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:58.080 over somebody I didn't want to go. 250 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:01.879 That's how our friendship started. Hit Singer close ever since, 251 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:03.759 I hope I have ever touched. 252 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:08.919 Grace claimed that there was no animosity between her and 253 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:14.120 Megan over Jarrett, and based on how investigators handled that response, 254 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:18.039 it seemed like they believed her. By this point, detectives 255 00:14:18.039 --> 00:14:20.360 had spoken with the last two people known to have 256 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:24.919 contact with Megan before she disappeared, and they were no 257 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:28.600 closer to understanding where she had gone or what had 258 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:33.360 happened to her. Meanwhile, Megan's family, which included her three daughters, 259 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:38.000 waited anxiously for answers and hope for Megan's safe return. 260 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:41.679 Now, Meghan was a young mom. Her family tells me 261 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:44.440 she has three young daughters that are waiting for their 262 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:46.960 mom to come home. Her youngest daughter is only about 263 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:49.240 four months old, and again, like I said, all her 264 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:51.519 family wants is for her to come home so she 265 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:53.519 can be a mom to those young daughters. 266 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:58.200 On April thirtieth, five days after Megan was reported missing, 267 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:01.159 investigators finally got a break in the case. 268 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:04.600 All afternoon, the Bamberg County Sheriff's office has been in 269 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:09.159 the woods right here, right off of the Barnwell excuse me, Highway. Now, 270 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:12.200 we aren't sure what they were looking for exactly, but 271 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:14.799 we did just get confirmed that they found a burned 272 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:18.399 vehicle with human remains inside. We aren't sure who's those 273 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:21.279 remains belonged to, but just a couple of miles down 274 00:15:21.320 --> 00:15:24.759 the road you can find Megan Vodaford's family holding on 275 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:26.320 to hope that it was not her. 276 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:30.399 Just a few miles from Jared's home, investigators made a 277 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:35.279 horrific discovery on a desolate back road. They found a 278 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:39.240 burned out vehicle with charred human remains inside. 279 00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:42.080 Still not one hundred some puzzles that is her. It's 280 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:45.480 just possibility, like I said, vehicle found. 281 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:47.279 Not even sure what kind of vehicle it was because 282 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:51.200 it was burned, burn bad, and then there. 283 00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:54.559 Was evidence of a body being in there. So we 284 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:57.120 haven't gotten the results back whether it was maybe or not. 285 00:15:57.240 --> 00:16:01.399 But given the condition of both the car and the body, 286 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:06.320 investigators couldn't immediately confirm whether it belonged to Megan. An 287 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:11.120 autopsy in DNA results were needed, but all signs pointed 288 00:16:11.159 --> 00:16:15.720 in the same direction. This was likely Megan bought Afford, 289 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:20.720 after all, who else could it be? There was, however, 290 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:24.879 one thing investigators were able to determine early on with 291 00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:28.559 some degree of certainty. The victim in the burned out 292 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:32.320 car hadn't been killed inside the vehicle. They had been 293 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:34.440 shot first and then placed there. 294 00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:37.799 That was placed in a driver's seat, was not putting. 295 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:39.960 It was from driving. It was placed there. 296 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:45.360 This body was placed there and then burned, place there 297 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:49.600 and burned. She was dead before it was burned. She 298 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:54.399 had already been killed. She was shot by a shot. 299 00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:56.399 In the soul. 300 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:01.399 Somebody drove her out there, left her in the vehicle, 301 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:06.559 set an on fire, and it burned, burned her body 302 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:07.680 up and burned the vehicle up. 303 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:12.079 Following the discovery of the burned car and the human remains, 304 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:19.119 the investigation into Megan Bodifford only became more complicated as 305 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:23.119 investigators dug deeper. The list of suspects continued to grow, 306 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:27.160 and for a time, a chilling question loomed over the case. 307 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:32.359 What if Megan hadn't been killed by one person, but 308 00:17:32.480 --> 00:18:08.039 instead by a group of people she trusted. In late 309 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:12.839 April of twenty twenty four, in Denmark, South Carolina, twenty 310 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:17.400 five year old mother of three, Megan Botiford vanished, and 311 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:21.240 the days that followed, investigators worked to piece together her 312 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:25.400 last known movements, focusing on two people who had been 313 00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:30.279 in contact with her just before she disappeared. Her boyfriend 314 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:35.720 Jared Davis and her close friend Grace Rindel. Both were questioned. 315 00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:43.160 Both denied involvement, and neither could explain where Megan had gone. Then, 316 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:48.079 five days later, investigators discovered a burned out vehicle on 317 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:52.240 a remote road with a burned corpse inside. But at 318 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:57.440 that point one question remained, was this Megan? 319 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:00.359 Our top stories now a family on edge waiting for 320 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:03.400 autopsy results after the discovery of a burn vehicle with 321 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.160 human remains inside, All of. 322 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:07.440 This happening with one question on a lot of minds, 323 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:10.920 Where is twenty five year old Meghan Bontiford. Nearly a 324 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:14.720 week has passed since Meghan Bontiford's family laid eyes on her. 325 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:17.400 They don't want to believe she's gone. All they want 326 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:20.240 is for this young mom to come home. But for 327 00:19:20.359 --> 00:19:23.640 right now, it's the agonizing waiting game they are being 328 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.480 forced to play. 329 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:25.480 It's hard. 330 00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:28.799 It's really ar missed for so much. 331 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:32.000 I agree, I can't describe it. 332 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:36.039 I uh won't be outside the other day and just. 333 00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:41.599 Oh, I just said, Lord, I don't understand that this 334 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:43.119 is hard. 335 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:47.200 Well, Megan's family waited anxiously for the results of the autopsy. 336 00:19:47.880 --> 00:19:51.359 Megan's boyfriend, Jareded also waited as he sat in the 337 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:53.559 jail cell on an unrelated warrant. 338 00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:58.599 Have you heard anything, niw just as lit news? What's 339 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:04.400 been on the news? Body found? You say that was Megan? 340 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:10.559 What's your tholves? If I will confirm you a vehicle was. 341 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:16.160 Found that was burned with more than likely it doesn't 342 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:18.599 appear there there was a body in it. 343 00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:21.200 I know stuff that I wanted. 344 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:24.279 I wanted, Like I told you that day, if anything 345 00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:25.319 came up, I would be. 346 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:28.079 I would come and tell you what. 347 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:31.720 Investigators confirmed the news reports of a burned body Jarrett 348 00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:37.079 appeared genuinely shaken. His concern for Megan seemed real. About 349 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:39.960 three days after the car and the body were discovered, 350 00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:46.000 the autopsy results came back and it was the outcome 351 00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:48.240 no one I'd been hoping for. 352 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:52.720 April thirtieth, deputies from the Bamberg County Sheriff's Office discovered 353 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:56.680 a burned vehicle here with possible human remains inside. Three 354 00:20:56.759 --> 00:21:00.519 days later, we now know those remains belonged to Meghan Afford, 355 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:03.759 a young mom of three young daughters. 356 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:09.039 Tragically, this was no longer a missing person case. It 357 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:14.759 was now a homicide, and not just any homicide. Someone 358 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:17.759 had shot a mother of three in the head, then 359 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:21.400 loaded her body into a car and set it on fire, 360 00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:24.400 burning Megan beyond recognition. 361 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:27.680 You know, we have arsenal experts that are out there 362 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:29.240 that doing us for eighteen years. 363 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:33.079 He said that was the worst body that he has 364 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:34.759 ever seen in his life. 365 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:36.599 He whoknew us for eighteen years. 366 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:39.880 That body was burned so bad that in eighteen years, 367 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:43.240 that is the worst body he has ever seen. 368 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:47.960 Who would do that to Megan? Who would do that? 369 00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:50.880 It was personal? Whoever did it, it was personal. It 370 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:53.160 wasn't something random it was personal. 371 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:57.880 Investigators were left with the obvious question, who would have 372 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:03.039 done this to Megan why. At first, there were only 373 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:07.599 two possible suspects to consider, her boyfriend Jarrett and her 374 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:13.039 close friend Grace, but that list didn't remain small for long. 375 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:18.279 Danielle since she was actually talking about what happened to 376 00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:21.559 Megan before her body was overdiscovered, and he. 377 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:24.640 Kind of wrote me the wrong way. How she was 378 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:27.039 talking on it was sudday and her body she was served. 379 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:30.400 She said that I bet Jerry shot her and set 380 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:32.000 her and fired her car her both. 381 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:37.079 As the investigation expanded, detectives became aware of a recent 382 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:42.640 acquaintance of Megan's, a young woman named Danielle Simmons. Her 383 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:45.880 name came up more than once, and according to several people, 384 00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:50.359 Danielle had been talking about Megan's body being burned days 385 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:53.240 before the car and the remains were discovered. 386 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:55.920 I just give him the thriller ride and I don't know, 387 00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:57.839 I don't know her like that, but she was talking 388 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:02.079 about Magan happened, and she said, she knows your name, 389 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:05.519 Danielle Simmons, And he was running her mouth before everything 390 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:08.720 that came out on Facebook and all that where there's. 391 00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:11.119 No way you just go and shouldn't known what she knows. 392 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:14.799 Maybe they need to look into her or look at 393 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:18.160 her phone or something, because she might know more than 394 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:20.000 what she's saying or. 395 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.240 Has something to do with it. 396 00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:27.240 Once Danielle's name surfaced, investigators moved quickly. They tracked her 397 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:29.400 down and brought her in for questioning. 398 00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:32.240 All Right, daniel what we're doing. 399 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:38.519 We're investigating the case with Megan, and we've beat the 400 00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:40.400 bushes and talked a lot of folks. 401 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:43.000