Wednesday
Scene
September 21, 2011
The Loris
VOL 17, No. 64
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N.C. man sentenced to life in 2005 deaths
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Hill found guilty of shooting couple to death in home invasion
Weather High 83, 40% rain WEDNESDAY NIGHT Low 69, mostly cloudy THURSDAY High 84, 40% rain FRIDAY High 84, 50% rain SATURDAY High 81, mostly cloudy
BY KATHY ROPP EDITOR
AND ROBERT ANDERSON STAFF WRITER
A Tabor City man, who left blood in the home of Conwayites Charlie Sr. and Diane Parker in 2005, was given two life sentences by Circuit Judge Steven John recently. In a trial that lasted less than a day and a half, Hill was found guilty of two counts of murder and one count of first-degree burglary. He was also sentenced to 30 years in jail for the first-degree burglary charge, but it will run con-
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currently with the life sentences. The 26-year-old was arrested in Tennessee where he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was serving a sevenyear sentence, which was set to end in October of 2014 when he was brought back to Horry County to stand trial on the Parkers’ murders. The couple was shot to death in their home in April of 2005. Another man, Richard Gagnon, was found guilty of murder and first-degree burglary in March of 2008. Gagnon was the boyfriend of Diane Parker’s daughter. He maintained his innocence in his trial and still
does. Both of Gagnon’s lawyers, Bill Grammer and Barbara Pratt, sat in on Hill’s trial this week. In 2008, Deputy Solicitor Fran Humphries told the jury that there was another person in the house on S.C. 90 near the S.C. 22 overpass on the night of the murders because there was DNA found in the house that didn’t match Gagnon. Horry County police investigators testified that they found what looked like a trail of blood in the Parkers’ bedroom that didn’t belong to them. They sent samples of the DNA to a national database where it sat for about two years before Hill was arrested in Tennessee and law enforcement there noted a match. Law enforcement speculated that Hill cut himself breaking a glass pane out of
a back door while he was breaking into the Parkers’ house; however, they also testified that they didn’t see any blood on the broken glass, which had been contaminated before police arrived. According to Mrs. Parker’s sister, Carolyn Chapman of Boiling Springs, having to go through a second trial has been tough on the family. “It’s been the hardest thing,” she said. “It’s something you think about constantly, every day. It’s terrible. It’s like a nightmare. You don’t wake up from a nightmare. Chapman, who was the second youngest of six siblings, was very close to her sister. “She was like my right arm,” Chapman said. During closing arguments, Hembree told the
The Upward Soccer Program sponsored by Loris First Presbyterian Church games will begin on Sept. 24.
BY BRADLEY BLANTON FOR THE LORIS SCENE
A9
BRADLEY BLANTON / FOR THE LORIS SCENE
Miss/Master Loris Bog-Off Pageant contestants vie for the crown on Sept. 24 at Loris High School Auditorium.
A10 | HAPPENINGS | The Miss/Master Loris BogOff Festival Pageant will be held Saturday, Sept. 24. For more information call the Loris Chamber of Commerce at 756-6030 or visit the website at www.lorischambersc.com. A Health and Services Fair will be held Saturday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Loris Adult Day Care located at 3701 Main Street in Loris and is free and open to the public. If your business or agency would like to participate, call 3615986. Organized by Open Hearts Community Outreach where our goal is to connect those who need help with those who are helping and to connect those who are looking to serve with those who are serving by creating a network of churches, agencies and servants in the Loris community. Oak Dale Baptist Church located at 1695 Oak Dale Road in Loris will sponsor a free food distribution Thursday, Sept. 22, 12:302:30 p.m. Anyone out of work or on a fixed income is invited. Food and clothing are given on a first come first serve basis. This program is a local ministry of the church.
HILL, A2
Boy Scouts offer much for children
UPWARD SOCCER COVERAGE:
BOG-OFF PAGEANT CONTESTANTS:
jury there’s no question Hill was in the Parkers’ home because his blood was colHill lected from the scene. “The fact is he was bleeding,” Hembree said. “I know he left blood in that house. Bruce Hill left the best possible evidence he could. It is Bruce Hill’s blood that cries out the truth. It’s the bodies of Charles and Diane Parker that cry out for justice.” Defense attorney Ron Hazzard told the jury Hill didn’t know the victims and said the evidence leads him to believe someone
Macedonia Baptist Church Youth and Loris High School Football team join together recently for food, fun and fel-
lowship before the game against the South Columbus Stallions.
Macedonia Youth feed Loris Lions Football team BY BRADLEY BLANTON FOR THE LORIS SCENE
The youth at Macedonia Baptist Church seem to have an unquenchable desire to help and support their community. Their latest efforts were to feed and motivate the varsity football team before
the hard fought battle with the South Columbus Stallions. The youth fed the team pizza, peaches and cantaloupes. The 37 pizzas looked to be not enough, but the pace slowed and the team only managed to eat about 30. The younger kids were amazed at the amount of
food that was consumed in the short time and the adults were impressed by the manners and discipline of the group. Manners and discipline are becoming more and more uncommon in youth today, but not with this group of balers. The coaching staff has taken up
where the parents left off. All the players were appreciative for the meal and were very attentive during the devotional. After a prayer for a safe game, the team took pictures with the youth group and departed back to the school to get ready to battle with the Stallions.
The Boy Scouts of America has been around for more than 100 years, becoming as American as baseball and apple pie. Throughout their history their mission is unchanged. They still want to make young boys become responsible, productive adult citizens that care about their communities and country. Whether you are a cub scout trying to earn belt loop badges, or a boy scout trying to earn an eagle scout award, there is always plenty to do within the BSA organization. Eagles are the highest honor a young man can earn within the BSA. The Loris area has been fortunate to have produced more than 50 between the two troops. That is a large number coming from our small area. Only five percent of Boy-Scouts make it to become Eagle Scouts. Loris First United SCOUTS, A2
OUR PEOPLE
Jerry Hardee still serving as chief after 19 years BY BRADLEY BLANTON FOR THE LORIS SCENE
Jerry Hardee of the Loris Fire Department serves as chief and has held this position for 19 years. Hardee joined the fire department in 1974 and was elected as chief around 1993. He is the husband of Diane Mincey Hardee and the proud father of three children, one stepchild and 10 grandchildren. Hardee enjoys flying, which he has done since the 1980s. He also has a 100 percent crash survival rating, which he earned in 2003 after his plane had some mechanical problems. Resilient and determined, he bought another and still flies today. When he isn’t fighting fires, flying or building houses, he spends time doing one of his favorite things, fishing.
BRADLEY BLANTON / FOR THE LORIS SCENE
HARDEE, A2 The new Public Safety Building under construction seems to be on schedule and should be completed in early 2012.