CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — A South Carolina man charged with killing his ex-girlfriend faced a judge Wednesday in connection with his alleged escape from a Chesterfield County jail.
The Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office said Emanuel Bedford escaped from a jail window last Saturday night and was brought back into custody hours later less than a mile away.
“The jail’s 50 years old and in 50 years no one’s ever attempted to go out a window with bars on it," Sheriff Cambo Streater said. "He’s a small guy and he got through a place that nobody ever thought a human could get out of.”
Wednesday's hearing was a motion by the state to have him evaluated for a potential move from the jail to the South Carolina Department of Corrections. If approved, Bedford, who agreed to the evaluation, would await trial there in a process known as 'safekeeping.'
He is being represented by a court-appointed attorney, but not the public defender's office, according to Bedford's lawyer.
Sheriff Streater said his office is also working to further secure the jail to prevent the possibility of future escapes.
Bedford is facing charges tied to the disappearance and death of Deidre Reid, who disappeared from Pageland, South Carolina, in September 2021. Bedford, who is the father of Reid's son, was charged with grand larceny and obstructing justice a month after her disappearance.
Reid's family told Pageland investigators that she was taking Bedford to the Greyhound station in Charlotte when she disappeared. Reid's sister planned to meet with her in Charlotte but never heard from her.
In March 2022, Bedford was indicted and charged with murder and kidnapping. Her SUV was found submerged 11 miles from Bedford's home in Burke County, Georgia, just south of Augusta. A DNA test confirmed blood found in the vehicle was Reid's.
Reed's mother Patricia Hammonds joined other family and friends in the courtroom Wednesday. She said she feared for her life when he escaped.
“I did not go to sleep. I sat up all night... because he know where I live," Hammonds said. “I wanted to get up out of this wheelchair and go up there and hit him, then I thought, let God take care of him, because he took my daughter away from me.”
Bedford pleaded not guilty to killing Reed in previous court proceedings.
As plans for his potential relocation move forward, it's unclear when his trial could take place.
Note: WCNC instituted a policy in March 2021 regarding the broadcast or posting of mugshots.
WCNC will only air or post a mugshot if the person has been formally charged with a crime and in a few other cases. The exceptions include: If it appears the person could be a danger to themselves or others or if they are wanted by authorities; to differentiate between people with a common name; if the photos could encourage more victims to come forward. The news-editorial leadership may also decide to use a mugshot based on the severity of the crime(s) committed and/or the level of public interest in the crime and ensuing criminal proceedings.
WCNC Charlotte is choosing to show the mugshot of the suspect in this case due to the serious nature of his charges and public interest.