2 more arrested in connection to ‘targeted’ killing of West Columbia woman, police say
Cayce police charged a teenager and a man Friday in connection with the September slaying of a West Columbia woman in which another teenager had already been charged.
“The closure being brought by these arrests to the victim’s family is thanks to the relentless pursuit of justice and hard work by your Cayce officers,” a spokesman for Cayce police said. “We know that this was not a random crime but a targeted violent act which resulted in our victim senselessly losing her life.”
Heather Renee Jordan was shot to death in West Columbia on Sept. 26.
The Cayce Department of Public Safety charged 39-year-old Michael Allen Ponder Sr. of West Columbia with accessory after murder and violating probation or parole.
Police also charged 18-year-old Charles Cavin Craft of West Columbia with accessory after murder, attempted murder, failure to stop for police, resisting arrest with a gun, possessing a gun during a violent crime and possessing a stolen vehicle.
Jordan, Ponder, Craft and another teenager, Kendall Lamont Moody, had been involved in a burglary or theft on Sept. 25 or Sept. 26 and had gone to a home in the 1600 block of Northland Drive in Cayce to do drugs and discuss the crime, Chief Chris Cowan said. A dispute erupted among them, and Moody shot Jordan in the head, according to investigators.
In the early morning of Sept. 26, the department received a call from a nearby resident who said something had happened at a nearby home, Cowan said. Police investigated and found Jordan dead.
The next day, police arrested and charged 18-year-old Moody with murder and possessing a weapon during a violent crime in Jordan’s death.
Ponder and Craft were “linked to the homicide” and helped move Jordan’s body, police said.
In a separate incident on Sept. 24, Cayce police tried to stop a white pickup truck that was weaving between vehicles, police said. The driver never stopped, and after a short chase, the driver abandoned the vehicle, ran away and shot at officers. No officers were hurt.
After arresting Moody and investigating, police discovered Craft was the driver of the truck and that the truck was stolen.
Officers jailed Ponder, Craft and Moody at the Lexington County Detention Center, where they remained as of Friday afternoon.
Craft is awaiting a bond hearing. Ponder is jailed on a $130,000 bond. A judge denied Moody bond.