A community in South Carolina is reeling after the body of 18-year-old MyAngel Walker was found in a burned-out car just a day after she went missing.
The investigation led to the arrest of two people, including her on-and-off boyfriend.
The Search for MyAngel Walker
When MyAngel Walker didn’t show up to work on Thursday, December 12, her loved ones knew something was off. Her family reported her missing to the Laurens Police Department, and the Clinton Police Department joined the investigation as she was last seen in Clinton, South Carolina.
“It became apparent during the night that we were looking for something a little more than just somebody missing,” Laurens Police Chief Heath Copeland told FOX Carolina.
A Grisly Discovery
The next day, Walker’s body was discovered in a burned vehicle near McKenzie Road in Greenwood County. Shocking footage shows the charred car being towed out of a wooded area near a road. The investigation revealed that Walker had suffered a gunshot wound, but no other details about the location of the wound or her cause of death have been publicized.
A Suspect Arrested and Charged
According to Clinton Police, 19-year-old Malachi Pressley, Walker’s on-and-off boyfriend, is the person who wounded her. Police say Pressley shot Walker on Gary Street in Clinton between 10 and 11 p.m. local time on December 11. He has since been arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
An Accessory to the Crime
Also arrested in connection with Walker’s death was 19-year-old Taylor Kinard, who police say helped dispose of Walker’s body. Charged with accessory after the fact, Kinard “had knowledge of it and she helped,” Clinton Police Chief Michael Addison said.
No Bail for the Accused
Both Pressley and Kinard were denied bail during a hearing on Saturday, December 14.
Remembering MyAngel Walker
MyAngel Walker, a recent high school graduate, had big plans to become a nurse. Her family described her as a bright young lady with a good heart. “Everything I’ve heard of MyAngel has been, she was a very bright young lady with a very good heart,” Chief Copeland said.
A Message from MyAngel’s Mom
For Walker’s mom, Sade Woodruff, the arrests don’t offer her any solace. “We lost a big part of our family,” Woodruff told WYFF. “We lost a great person. We lost an amazing person, a leader.” She also had a message for those who hear her daughter’s story: “Be aware of who you’re dealing with, the people you’re surrounded by, the people you hang out with.”
“If there’s anything wrong, any type of domestics going on,” Woodruff added, “then we ask that you seek help.”