Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - #4

[justthinkin]

Who Scott is or was is the question of the day. Someone other than Maxie's sisters saw him leave with this Scott person. I'm guessing it was one of Maxie's friends or a coworker. Apparently Scott wasn't a fixture in Maxie's life or likely the person who saw them leave together would've known the guy's last name or one of Maxie's sisters might have known it. Just guessing here.

 

[Bud]

Got something I want to throw out to let y'all chew on awhile. It may have nothing to do with this case, but then again, it might. Don't know yet.

This is a missing person report, and I intend to set up a topic for Maxie here at WS. I'm sure it won't get much attention because there's so little information about his disappearance.

Maxwell Allen Graham
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/g/graham_maxwell.html
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1985dmsc.html

Lastly, here's a story about "Maxie" done in 2007.
http://www.superiorimageusa.com/mysumterherald/071018/Sumter_Herald_page1A.pdf

Scroll down to the second article on that page. There's also another picture of Maxie Graham.

Here's the problem. Maxie was born in January of 1950. According to his sisters, he went missing when he was 26 years old. Simple mathematics would tell us he went missing Aug. 8, 1976, the very same night our mystery couple was murdered give or take an hour or two either side of midnight.

Not once does the above article reference 1978, the year LE lists him as missing. Instead, the article says in 2007, Maxie had been missing over 30 years.

One thing I gleaned from the article was that the sisters felt like Maxie's case didn't get much attention because LE was very busy at the time. Hmmm.

That's a great catch, justthinkin.

I wonder who 'Scott' is, and who these two 'persons of interest' are as well and if they have any link to this case.

Those two pictures of him makes me think of pictures of my father and his brothers in the mid to late seventies. I'll follow you on the Maxie thread, justthinkin

That is a great catch. How far is Pinewood from the location of the bodies?

*EDIT*

Pinewood is about 25 miles SW of where the bodies were located on Locklair Road.

I'm now wondering if it's possible that the two deceased even knew one another... and if they did, how well. This Scott character might have killed both and left them on Locklair Road. I forget Lonnie Henry's various family member's names... was one of them a Scott by any chance?

Here is Maxwell Allen Graham ("Maxie")

Here is the John Doe

Does anyone else see the resemblance?

 

[Mysterylover]

Bud, Excellent question...
Justthinkin Good Sleuthing, Yes I see a resemblance..

Correct me if I'm wrong about the following similarities I see with the 2 males.

1. The same height and weight as Jock Doe.
2. crime scene pictures of Jock Doe are not clear, somewhat blurred, look similar.
3. Hair thickness and hair color looks the same.
4. Eye color is the same as Jock Doe's..

Maybe there's more IF we keep digging..

 

[Mark Franzeo]

I must ask a few questions about time of death. That was a very good point about the ice cream / fruit stand not being open late. I wounder how much the 1 am time of death is due to people saying they heard gun shots etc and not so much on body temp etc. If that is the case, what if the shots heard were just the finishing shots and they were killed even a few hours earlier. I mean even a 11pm or 10pm time of death would give them time to get the ice cream or fruit before the stand closed. Were all the local ice cream and fruit stores / stands shown pics of the victims? But there is always the thought they eat the fruit or ice cream at a 24 hr truck stop or diner like Howard Johnson's etc.Or they could have even ate fruit they bought earlier in the day and kept with them as a snack wherever they were staying. Heck, they could have even had the fruit or ice cream at the killer's house. So many possibilities. If any of this was brought up earlier I am sorry. I did read the whole thread but some the earlier stuff has been a while.

 

[justthinkin]

Good point, Mark, about body temp. I hadn't thought of that at all. It was supposedly just a fruit stand they were seen at.


I've been studying the pics of both JD and Maxie, and yes, I did see a resemblance, plus the height and weight, hair type. I've repeatedly tried the phone number given on that article, but no one ever answers. Perhaps the person works a night job. I hate to call after 9pm or before 9am.


That other pic of Maxie in the Sumter Herald appeared to be a later picture, probably taken when he bought his house. He has a huge grin on his face, and that pic makes his face look less elongated and more rounded like John Doe's face.

Anyone got the software to pull a photo from a pdf file?

---

Re the auditory witness, I'm of a mind to discount that info to some extent because the person said they heard the car coming, doors slam, gunshots, doors slam again, and heard the wheels squealing as it left. The bodies look placed not dumped, IMO. Road looks like deep sand. Ever tried to take off in a hurry on a deep sand road? Tires will sink in and spin. No evidence of that in the crime scene photos.

If you pull up the location on google maps, it's a good ways off to the nearest residence approx. 4-5 football fields away. Course it is a rural area and sound does carry.

If Maxie was John Doe, I don't see how someone in LE wouldn't know that already. Just saying. I'd rather hear the exact year Maxie went missing from one of his family members. I want to be sure we're getting the straight truth, and I don't have confidence in Sumter Co. LE. Wish I did, but there's just too much out there that tells me not to trust what they say.

 

[Mark Franzeo]

Very true about dirt roads. Way back when I had a Corvette I used to drive hard and fast. The only dirt type road I have ever managed to squeal the tires on was chip and tar, which is pretty much gravel with tar mixed in so really nothing like a totally dirt road. Another thought. If you are a fan of cheesy 70's movies like I am, in the car chase scenes when ever there is a chase on a dirt road the tires are always squealing. Even in The Dukes of Hazzard they did this. To me it seems like alot of that statement sounds like they are talking about a movie which would make me believe there is some truth to what was said but I think elements were added after the fact from they only frame of reference the average person would have about a car leaving the scene of a crime. TV or movies to make their story more interesting. Besides, if you heard all this commotion, would you not look outside and at the very least be able to see what type of vehicle it was? Even a casual glance could tell you car, truck, van, etc.

 

[Mysterylover]

Mark F...very good points about the body temperature...I agree, they could have even had the fruit or ice cream at the killer's house. If I Remember correctly their feet and shoes were very clean...

I have always had a question as to what stores was open in that small town, on Sundays in 1976?

If the couple had bought fruit or ice cream that Sunday, what time did the small, side the road, Fruit markets close on Sundays in Sumter in those days?...
It's possible the couple had a camping trailer and had the fruit in their camper..

Does anyone think it strange, NO one ever reported finding the couples suitcase, whatever they were staying in ( for the 2+ weeks) at the KOA or a vehicle of any type?

Wouldn't you think the manager of the KOA would have reported that someone had abandoned all their camping gear and cloths, one can only guess what else was left, when they heard/read a couple had been found murdered with no identification?

 

[justthinkin]

If you stay at a KOA that usually means you've something to sleep in, a tent, camper, etc. I don't ever recall staying at a campground where people were sleeping under the stars. Summer=bugs and skeeters.

Every fruit stand I've ever noticed or been to closed around supper time, and some even earlier, around 4PM. Do they grow a lot of peaches in SC? They do in the Texas Hill Country, and a lot of the fruit stands sell peach ice cream. If you're a medical examiner doing an autopsy wouldn't you say what kind of fruit you'd found the person had eaten?

 

[youshouldveknown]

We grow and sell peaches here in SC. There was an amazing fruit stand somewhere between Charlotte NC and Charleston SC (I believe around Greenville, but it was so long ago I can't remember) that sold HUGE peaches in different varieties. And they smelled so good and tasted so much better - my mother said it was like biting into one of those expensive peach scented candles, like Yankee Candles - you know how often those candles smell so good you want to eat them. Down here you see more strawberries and tomatoes than anything, and farther down toward GA there is an amazing stop that sells fresh ciders and fruits. I remember particularly the muscadine grape cider.

Anyway, I also wanted to say that I unfortunately do not see a resemblence to our Jock, but I do not doubt the resemblence that you all see. I'd like to turn this over to LE regardless. Justthinkin, try calling Sumter County Sherriff.

 

[justthinkin]

Sure wish we had someone here among us who lived in Sumter Co. or knew where the fruit stands were back then.

Maxie wouldn't necessarily have to be our JD. I see some differences and some similarities. Depends on which photo or drawing of JD I'm looking at. What drew me to him mostly was the possibility he disappeared the very same evening our JDs were shot.

What I don't see for our JD is a single untouched morgue photo. Every picture has shadows. His hair looks brushed or combed wrong. The part looks very unnatural, and the hair is shorter on one side than the other so somebody was messing around with John Doe's hair. Also our JD's hair varies in texture between photos and drawings. I think both John and Jane Doe had been given false eyelashes. Somebody was playing beautician, IMO, and didn't know what they were doing.

Does anyone know the correct sequencing of the drawings and photos? I'm sure the very sketchy drawings were released first, but after that, I'm not sure. I can spot the pre-autopsy and post autopsy photos, but were other sketches released before any actual photos were released?

 

[Mysterylover]

justthinkin, IF Maxwell disappeared the same day as our couple was murdered, that is a very big coincidence to happen 25 miles apart....in 1976 and a sparcely populated area.

thinking outside the box:
What IF Maxwell and our Jock and Jane Doe's were shot by the same persons at the same location that Sunday?..

 

[justthinkin]

That's a possibility. Maybe there never were any neck shots on the two UIDs, and the gunshots someone heard that night had been directed at Maxie. That could mean Maxie had had a hand in the UID's deaths or disposal. It's not what I want to think, but I have to admit the possibility exists.

Don't know whether this Scott person was bumped off as well or if he was perhaps the murderer of all three. I searched and searched last night for someone named Scott in trouble with the law in Sumter Co. Maybe I should expand my search parameters because I turned up nada.

 

[youshouldveknown]

I agree that John and Jane Doe look quite different in just about every composite done. I understand how the composites are done and the artist's interpretation and such. I also understand that when they do a new composite, they want to make it a little different from what has been done before since obviously previous composites haven't been recognized. But looking at the crime scene shot (and yes, it's not exactly a portrait) I think the composites aren't very similar to him at all.

I was thinking that perhaps Maxie was with them that night also. Maybe with Scotty, and some other people. I wonder, however, why if Maxie was also murdered, why he wasn't left with the couple. Perhaps Maxie and Scotty are the murderers and they left SC after that night. They couldn't ever contact family again. I think this is definitely an interesting turn for us. I wish there was a way to find out more about Scotty.

1976 was before my time, so I personally have no way of knowing about the fruit stands in Sumter. I'm attending a family reunion possibly on Saturday evening with lots of old people who love to tell stories. I'll see if I can find anything out there.

 

[justthinkin]

Respectfully snipped

I also understand that when they do a new composite, they want to make it a little different from what has been done before since obviously previous composites haven't been recognized.

Not having been aware of this as a new sleuther, I've called Sumter Co. Sheriff's Dept. into question because of the alterations. For that, I'm publically apologizing. You've now cleared for me the reasoning behind the alterations.

I think the UIDs, Maxie's disappearance and this Scott person are perhaps all related. For that reason, I'm still not willing to contact those in Sumter Co., as there's still something very hinky about this case or these cases, and I'm unsure of the source of the hinkiness. Is that a word? LOL.

 

[Fukiyama]

Not having been aware of this as a new sleuther, I've called Sumter Co. Sheriff's Dept. into question because of the alterations. For that, I'm publically apologizing. You've now cleared for me the reasoning behind the alterations.

I think the UIDs, Maxie's disappearance and this Scott person are perhaps all related. For that reason, I'm still not willing to contact those in Sumter Co., as there's still something very hinky about this case or these cases, and I'm unsure of the source of the hinkiness. Is that a word? LOL.

1. I wouldn't get too bent out of shape over criticizing the composites. There is 'making slight alterations' and then there is coming up with composites that look fake to the point of being stupid (unless John Doe's face was just that asymmetical)...

2. It's been thirty years and more. If there was a conspiracy to hide stuff, I'd say the players behind the conspiracy are either retired or dead by now. There are probably new players and new conspiracies since, but for the purposes of our UIDs, I'd say it's more a case of just the natural passage of time obscuring things and current LE maybe having qualms over raking the muck of their predecessors' lack of effort in this case.

 

[kitbits]

re. the photos...I always thought that the photos where their mouths/eyes were open were taken shortly after they had been brought to the coroner & that the other 2 photos where their eyes/mouths are closed were taken later, after they'd been tidied up a bit, say by a mortician. Just thinking about Jock's hair, Justthinkin'...I was a teenager back then & guys did have wonky hair sometimes. Looks like someone later tidied it up with Brylcreem (omg!!!) or something.

Having said that, I have seen some pretty dodgy photos, but reckoned they were part of the composite process that You should've mentions.

I always thought the eyes/mouths closed photos looked a bit odd, but then I figured perhaps that would have had something to do with rigor mortis, which I would assume would make closing their mouths difficult, thus distorting the features somewhat.

Perhaps I should ask my bro-in-law, who is a pathologist...*wonders how to broach the topic*...I hate bugging him re. medical stuff 'n suchlike, as people tend to do & it gets on his nerves a bit...

You should've, I know you're a nurse...does that sound totally off the mark?

re. Maxie...personally, I don't see the resemblence, but that's an opinion. Are the 2 incidents related? Dunno...I was reading the Maxie article & looks incomplete...did I miss something? I was wondering how old the sisters were & thinking that if they were young & at home, they might've 'thought' he was 26 or were confused about the birthdate or the journalist made an error (shock! horror!). If he really did disappear in 1976 on that date, then hmmm...that IS quite a coincidence, but I'm still not convinced. I think I need to read that entire article (unless that was it, but it seems to end suddenly).

 

[justthinkin]

kibits,
The Maxie article is missing page 2. His sisters may all be older. The article said he was living with one of his sisters until he finished high school.

We have photos of the girl with her gaping mouth, but I'm positive the one of the guy is a drawing, not an actual photo.

You can tell the pre-autopsy photos from the post autopsy ones as they didn't do a very good job of putting their faces back on, resulting in lumpy foreheads and eyebrows not quite in alignment.

I'm not sure about how the faces got so fat looking unless too much embalming fluid was used or else they overstuffed their cheeks. I'm just guessing here as I really don't know. I know the forensic artist out of OK who did some later drawings of the couple described their faces as having been botched. Part of his work included retouched photographs.

 

[Lanie]

I have insomnia, so thought I would try to track this down and figure out what the misinformation is, because obviously Maxie wasn't born in 1950 and then disappears in 1978 at the age of 26.

http://www.singletonfamily.org/getperson.php?personID=I120568&tree=singleton

According to this, Maxie was born in 1952. At least 3 of his sisters are older, going by the dates of their marriages.

Lanie

 

[kitbits]

Justthinkin'...yes, embalming...I thought of that too. I remember when I viewed my mother's body at the funeral home (ugh...that was horrendous) & out of curiosity, I touched her cheek...it felt sort of like touching modelling clay.

I looked at the gaping guy pic again...looks to me more like a photo that has been drawn over.

And thanks for clearing up the article confusion--I was reading it in a hurry & glad that the page 2 is missing & I'm not completely bonkers. Well, not really 'glad' that it's missing, but you know what I mean Would love to read the rest.

Lanie, awesome find! Thanks...yes, I see that they are older. Jeez, their mamma must have been a teenage bride, because my mom was born in 1922 & my sister wasn't born until 1947! (link shows one sister marrying in 1958)

& yes, it shows Maxie with birthdate 1952...my poor brother's age

Incidentally, all of this is so interesting for me not only due to the nature of the mystery, but also because one branch of my mother's people were from Sumter Co. in colonial times. AND that KOA guy was a Batson, also a name on Mom's family tree...

 

[Fukiyama]

So let's get this straight:

Maxie /was/ born in 1952 and disappeared at age 26, which would make the 1978 date correct...

So his case is /not/ related to the mystery couple (minus any new evidence to the contrary)? Just want to make this clear.