Shuler - The Lowcountry Murder of Gwendolyn Elaine Fogle: A Cold Case Solved

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC

www.historypress.com

Copyright 2021 by Rita Y. Shuler

All rights reserved

First published 2021

e-book edition 2021

ISBN 978.1.43967.202.0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020945792

print edition ISBN 978.1.46714.700.2

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is dedicated to the memory of Gwendolyn Elaine Fogle and to her family and loved ones who will forever have her in their hearts.

What makes cold case investigations so powerful are the families who never give up hope, and the powerful moment when law enforcement FINALLY solves a case and the voice of the victim hasnt been silenced.

Paula Zahn

CONTENTS

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PREFACE

When I finished writing my third book, Small-Town Slayings in South Carolina, I was pretty sure that would be my final one.

I never lost sight, however, that if my last story in the book, The Unsolved Murder of Gwendolyn Elaine Fogle, should ever be solved, that just might change my mind. In May 2015, I had the honor to team up with Corporal Gean Johnson, investigator with the Walterboro Police Department. We put our heads together, found the missing links and solved the case.

We contribute this to the work of former investigators, the preservation of evidence from the beginning and through the years, todays advanced forensic technology and most importantly, the grace of God.

This is a case that will forever be etched in South Carolinas history and especially in the minds of everyone who knew Gwendolyn Elaine Fogle.

Elaine, we never gave up on you. You were never forgotten. You will forever remain with us.

I chronicle this case with sincere compassion and respect to all concerned. Some segments of interviews, court transcripts and published articles have been edited to facilitate reading.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, my deepest gratitude and thanks to Corporal Gean Johnson, Walterboro Police Department. Without his dedication, passion and persistence to solve Elaines murder, I would not be writing this sequel and giving it an ending.

My deepest and personal thanks to my forever friend and SLED partner, latent print examiner Tom Darnell, for always being there when I needed his expertise, help, advice or just to talk. There was never a lack of words when we reminisced about the cases we worked together and getting the bad guy.

My heartfelt appreciation to Eolean Fogle Hughes, Melissa Hughes and the extended Fogle family for their kindness and caring all through the years and for sharing their personal memories of Elaine with me.

Special thanks to my friend Vicky Hall for her motivation and that extra prayer when I really needed it.

To Kathleen Thornley, sincere thanks for your helpful spur-of-the-moment assistance.

Thanks for the assistance of the following:

South Carolina Fourteenth Circuit Solicitors Office: Solicitor Duffie Stone, Deputy Solicitor Sean Thornton, Retired Assistant Solicitor Steve Knight, Assistant Solicitor Tameaka Legette, the Career Criminal Prosecution Unit, communications director Jeff Kidd and Erinn McGuire, community outreach.

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division: Special Agent Natalie Crosland, AFIS Operator Hayes Baylor, DNA Analyst Laura Hash, Captain Emily Rhinehart, Retired Captain David Caldwell, Mary Perry, Sebrena Matthews and Lorri Johnson.

Walterboro Police Department: Caroline Long, Officer Rusty Davis and Joani Varnadoe.

I am indebted to the Press and Standard staff and reporters George Salsberry and Katrena McCall for allowing me to use information from their past publications to help fill in the blanks of some of the progress of the case over the years.

My sincere thanks to the producers and staff of On the Case with Paula Zahn on the ID Investigative Channel for their interest in Elaines case and their excellent work of presenting her story on national television. It will forever honor Elaines memory. The episode Twisted Justice aired in December 2019.

An extra shout-out of thanks to Lindsey Fiesta and Heather Walsh for keeping me informed with the filming and production all along the way. It was an amazing experience.

My very personal thanks to Paula Zahn for her inspirational words to me after my interview: I see a sequel in the works. Her words stimulated my energy and motivation to write it all down.

To my little parrotlet, Kirbi, thank you, sweet boy, for your cheerful chattering and chirping in the background during my many hours of writing.

My sincere appreciation and thanks to everyone at Arcadia Publishing and The History Press for their guidance, professionalism and personal assistance with the publishing of my books.

THE ATTACK

May 27, 1978

Walterboro, South Carolina, is a small Lowcountry town about fifty miles west of Charleston, South Carolina. It is filled with historic charm and overflowing with southern hospitality that some might say is infectious. One of the many charms of small-town living is what lies just up the street and around the corner. Known as the Front Porch of the Lowcountry, Walterboros friendly down-home atmosphere captivates visitors as well as all who have made it their home.

On Saturday, May 27, 1978, devastating news hit hard in this Lowcountry town and filled Walterboro residents with intense sadness and horrifying fear. One of their own, twenty-six-year-old Gwendolyn Elaine Fogle, was brutally attacked, sexually assaulted and murdered in her home on South Lemacks Street.

That Saturday evening, Elaine had babysat for her friends Patricia and Bert Utsey. She arrived at their home about 6:45 p.m. She was happy and excited because she was going to visit with her mom and dad the next day to celebrate her moms birthday, and she was looking forward to seeing her sister, Eolean, and brother-in-law, Larry, who would also be there. Her parents, Myrtis and Wells Fogle, lived in Orangeburg, South Carolina, which is about fifty-five miles from Walterboro.

She left the Utseys around 11:15 p.m. and told them she was going to stop at the Zippy Mart on her way home, which would have her arriving home around 11:30 p.m.

Elaines home on Lemacks Street, where she was murdered. Elaine Fogle case file.

Elaines roommate, Nancy Hooker, and friend Billy OBryant worked at the J.P. Stevens Company in Walterboro. That Saturday, they had attended an Amway Products Fair in Conway, South Carolina, which is about 150 miles from Walterboro. When they returned home to Walterboro around 1:45 a.m. on Sunday morning, Billy pulled into the driveway to drop off Nancy. As they walked onto the front porch, they noticed the lights on in the house. They both thought it was a little strange that Elaine would be up that late, as she had told them that she was going to visit her parents the next morning.