Kidnapping victim who was locked in storage container for months, charged with abuse
A woman who was kidnapped by an infamous Upstate serial killer was charged with domestic violence, according to a police report.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office charged Kala Victoria Brown, 33, with third-degree domestic violence Monday after she allegedly punched her partner in the face.
Brown became well known in South Carolina when police rescued her from being chained up in a storage container on property belonging to convicted murderer Todd Kohlhepp.
Kohlhepp, a real estate agent, kidnapped Brown and her boyfriend, Charlie Carver, in the latter part of 2016. He killed Carver and buried his body on his 96 acres of property in Woodruff, South Carolina. Brown was held in the storage container for about two months. Along with Carver, Kohlhepp admitted to killing six others. He is serving a life sentence.
Brown’s arrest came after an argument with her boyfriend, James Devon Moore, the Greenville News reported. Brown told police, Moore had been living with her for less than two weeks when they argued over an animal in the house and she asked him to leave. Moore hit her with his chest and said “make me,” and she punched him, the Greenville News said. Moore threw her to the ground and choked her. After the argument subsided, the two went to a gas station and Brown ran from their vehicle to call police.
Police also charged Moore with third-degree domestic violence, court records show. Both were booked at Greenville County Detention Center and released without having to pay bail.
“All is well,” Jenny Dial, a spokesperson for Brown, told the Greenville News. “Kala was off her medicine, and she had an altercation with a friend which has been resolved.”
Brown’s lawyer said he believes the charge will be dropped.
In August, a judge order that Kohlhepp pay Brown $6.3 million.
The mother of another victim is suing the store that provided Kohlhepp with guns, one of which was used to kill her son, through an illegal purchaser.
This story was originally published July 20, 2019 at 4:17 PM.