SC SC- Donna McKracken, 22,& David Clemishaw, 28, bound & strangled bodies found by creek bed, Tigerville, the car located in N.C., 11/7/78, *Re-opened*

[dotr]

July 8 2024

Bodies of woman, man found strangled in Greenville County subject of new interest, deputies say

Investigators said the bodies were discovered by a migrant farmer.

www.wyff4.com

''GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. —
Almost 5 decades after the bodies of a man and woman were found strangled in Greenville County, deputies are asking the public for help solving the cold case.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit made the plea Monday on Facebook.
They said Donna McKracken, 22, and David Clemishaw, 28, both of Asheville, North Carolina, were found dead on July 11th, 1978.''

The GCSO Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation recently to re-examine old evidence and look for new leads in the case.

 

[worm]

I’m glad to have this thread as I’ve been following this today. I do hope they have some kind of evidence to work with. Greenville has a good record with cold cases I think so I’m positive about this so far.

 

[dotr]

McCracken, Donna, Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville, NC, July 13 2003, Pg A 1

Clipping found in Asheville Citizen-Times published in Asheville, North Carolina on 7/13/2003. McCracken, Donna, Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville, NC, July 13 2003, Pg A 1

www.newspapers.com

''Tom Seigler believes he knows who killed Donna McCracken and David Clemishaw. He has talked to the two men. He has stared them in the eyes. Yet they have never been charged in the deaths of the young Asheville couple who, 25 years ago Friday, were found lying blindfolded in a creek near a Tigerville, S.C, bean field, their wrists bound with twine''.

Article clipped from Altoona Tribune

Clipping found in Altoona Tribune published in Altoona, Pennsylvania on 9/21/1949.

www.newspapers.com

''Sheriff's investigators said about an ounce of marijuana was found in the Asheville home Miss McCracken and Clemishaw shared. In the meantime, Greenville County investigators expressed frustration a and disbelief Friday with an extradition being handled by the Buncombe County, N.C., sheriff's office. Two Buncombe County deputies drove to Los Angeles this week to bring back Larry Hux, a boyfriend of Clemishaw's former wife. Hux, who reportedly jumped bond on a drug store robbery charge and fled to California, is wanted for questioning about the murders.''

 

[worm]

Do they think the victims were killed in Asheville and brought to SC since the car was back in NC? Obviously nothing went on with Mr Hux after his return.

 

[dotr]

"Jul 8, 2024
Almost 5 decades after the bodies of a man and woman were found strangled in Greenville County, deputies are asking the public for help solving the cold case'.

 

[Richard]

46 years ago...

The photo of the couple's Pontiac brings to my mind questions. It looks like the car's trunk area might have been dusted for fingerprints (blackened areas).

One rear wheel has been removed. Was this due to a blown tire and attempt to change it? Was the car abandoned by the killers and later vandalized? Was there any evidence found inside?

 

[worm]

46 years ago...

The photo of the couple's Pontiac brings to my mind questions. It looks like the car's trunk area might have been dusted for fingerprints (blackened areas).

One rear wheel has been removed. Was this due to a blown tire and attempt to change it? Was the car abandoned by the killers and later vandalized? Was there any evidence found inside?

I’ve been thinking of the car too and I thought it looked like a tire missing and wasn’t sure. There’s just way too many cases like this out there.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“With any type of evidence, would it be DNA or fingerprints, one thing you have to look at is: ‘Is it supposed to be there? Does it have any business being there?’” Cox said.

He hopes that additional testing of the evidence, which he declined to identify, may reveal something new.

“My hope is today, with new advances in technology, that we might be able to re-examine their clothes,” said Cox, who also told WBTV that some items from the car have been sent off for testing.

“We may not be able to solve it right now, but it will get solved one day,” Sgt. Cox said. “We’re not giving up.”

Murdered North Carolina couple tied up, blindfolded, strangled in 1978: Where the cold case stands

Detectives working to solve 46-year-old mystery. WBTV: True Crime Carolinas takes a look.

www.wbtv.com

 

[dotr]

Feb 25, 2025
Detectives working to solve 46-year-old mystery. WBTV: True Crime Carolinas takes a look.

 

[HopeRains]

One rear wheel has been removed. Was this due to a blown tire and attempt to change it? Was the car abandoned by the killers and later vandalized? Was there any evidence found inside?

The article (posted yesterday) says the talked to suspects were bragging - "The pair also reportedly told others that they ditched the couple’s car near a swimming hole near Ivey Creek in Madison County after it got stuck in the sand. That’s exactly where Clemishaw’s yellow 1996 Pontiac Catalina was found on July 13, 1978."

There is a better photo of the car which shows the wheel as being stuck in the sand.

The article also mentions both referenced suspects as deceased.

 

[Azaela]

“With any type of evidence, would it be DNA or fingerprints, one thing you have to look at is: ‘Is it supposed to be there? Does it have any business being there?’” Cox said.

He hopes that additional testing of the evidence, which he declined to identify, may reveal something new.

“My hope is today, with new advances in technology, that we might be able to re-examine their clothes,” said Cox, who also told WBTV that some items from the car have been sent off for testing.

“We may not be able to solve it right now, but it will get solved one day,” Sgt. Cox said. “We’re not giving up.”

Murdered North Carolina couple tied up, blindfolded, strangled in 1978: Where the cold case stands

Detectives working to solve 46-year-old mystery. WBTV: True Crime Carolinas takes a look.

www.wbtv.com

the strongest suspect appears to be the former foreman of the bean plantation that committed crimes in Hendersonville, NC.

 

[Azaela]

read pages 4 and 5 of scribd police report.

 

[Azaela]

There has been absolutely no reporting of this case in the Asheville or Hendersonville news media.

 

[Azaela]

Do they think the victims were killed in Asheville and brought to SC since the car was back in NC? Obviously nothing went on with Mr Hux after his return.

No, they think they were killed where they were found.

 

[Azaela]

No, they think they were killed where they were found. Larry Hux was dating David’s ex wife Jeanie at the time of the murder. hux and Jeannie and David and Jeannie’s daughter are all deceased.