Funeral plans made for victim of SC bank robbery

Funeral arrangements have been made for one of the victims shot to death in a Conway bank robbery Monday.

Friends and family of Kathryn “Katie” Davis Skeen of Green Sea will gather for prayer Wednesday night at an Aynor church. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Johnson Funeral Home in Aynor, and a funeral is set from Friday morning at the Advancing the Kingdom Church in Conway where she was a member.

Skeen and Donna Major, 59, of Conway, were killed by an armed suspect during a robbery at the CresCom Bank in Conway, where they worked, according to authorities.

Conway police responded to an alarm at the bank on the corner of U.S. Highway 501 and 16th Avenue around 1:20 p.m. Monday, just as the Great American Eclipse was getting underway in Horry County.

Police said the suspect fled the scene in one of the victim’s cars following the robbery. The car taken was a white 200 Chrysler with tinted windows and a “River Life” sticker on the back windshield. Authorities said the suspect may not still be driving the same car.

An online obituary for Skeen says she was the bank’s branch manager. She left behind two sons, a husband of 16 years, her parents, brothers, and other family, the obituary states.

“Mrs. Skeen loved God, her family and her friends,” the obituary says.

No online records showed funeral plans for Major as of Wednesday morning.

Flowers begin amassing outside the shuttered bank Tuesday as a community grieved the losses.

“These women contributed to our community with a vital service, but more importantly, did so with rich regard and gentleness towards all they served,” said Conway Mayor Barbara Blain Bellamy in a statement released Tuesday night.

“I was blessed to know these remarkable women, and enjoyed their company weekly. I always left their place of business with added reason to smile and appreciate humankind. We all grieve that Conway has lost two very special friends,” Bellamy said.

She also said authorities would not rest until the suspect or suspects responsible were captured.

On Tuesday, Lt. Selena Small, spokeswoman with Conway police, released information on a “person of interest” they are seeking in connection to the incident—Brandon Michael Council, 32, of Wilson, N.C.

Council is also wanted in connection with a separate bank robbery in his hometown that occurred Aug. 10, Small said. Police said he may have changed his hairstyle and released photos of him with both long and short hair.

“We don’t have warrants on this subject, but, again, this is a person of interest that we would like to question in reference to the bank robbery,” Small said Tuesday afternoon. “We do have reason to believe that he has been in the Conway area recently.”

North Carolina authorities do have a warrant for Council in connection to the robbery there, police said. Conway Police are being assisted by the FBI, state troopers, the State Law Enforcement Division, Horry County and Myrtle Beach police in the investigation.

Police are asking that anyone with information on the suspect’s whereabouts call the Conway Police Department at 843-248-1790 or Crime Stoppers of the Low Country at 1-888-CRIME-SC (1-888-274-6372).

This story was originally published August 23, 2017 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Funeral plans made for victim of SC bank robbery."