COLUMBIA, S.C. - Nikki McPhatter was shot in the back of the head.
That was just one of several details released this morning in a news conference held by the Richland County, SC Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Leon Lott broke down exactly how McPhatter, a US Airways employee from Charlotte, was killed and what transpired after her murder.
Theodore Manning and Kendra Danette Goodman, 27, have been arrested. Manning is being held without bond in the Alvin Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, SC. Goodman bonded out last night. Lott says the two have had a relationship for the past four years. He says Manning killed McPhatter and Goodman helped him get rid of the body.
When investigators questioned Manning, he acknowledged right away that he was the Teddy that McPhatter met online and had dated for a couple of months. A couple of days later, they searched his house and found a receipt for bleach bought the day McPhatter made her last phone call. At that point, investigators decided to turn up the heat on Manning and Goodman. She has a gold Chevrolet Lumina like the one seen in the bank surveillance photo where McPhatter's ATM Card was used. Investigators also say they found a shirt in her home with staff on the back, like the one the worn by the bank suspect. Last Friday, Goodman led investigators to McPhatter's burned out car.
McPhatter's friends are planning a vigil tonight for her at Charlotte-Douglas Airport.
Here is the detailed timeline released by Sheriff Leon Lott this morning:
May 6, 2009 Nikki McPhatter drove her black Honda Accord to Columbia to meet with Theodore Manning at his residence.
The victim met Manning (Theodore R. Manning IV DOB 10-10-79) on the internet (tagged.com) and had seen him on more than one occasion.
The victim arrived at Manning's Residence around 9:00 AM
The victim had telephone contact with friends around 11:45 AM telling them that she needed gasoline to get back to Charlotte
Manning fills the victim's car up with gasoline at 12:07 AM at Freeman's 4 n' 1 in Gadsden
Manning kills the victim back at his residence as the result of an argument over their relationship - Victim had come to Columbia to get jewelry back from Manning that she has given him to get repaired and wants to end the relationship according to her acquaintances.
Manning states that he was trying to have a casual relationship and they had an argument.
Manning shot the victim in the back of the head in an upstairs area of the house.
Manning calls Kendra Goodman, who left work early (2PM) and she goes to Manning's residence and he asks her to follow him in the victim's car.
Manning placed the victim in the trunk of her own car, and with Goodman driving her gold Lumina trailing behind him, drives to Peach Road off I77
Manning drives to Calvary Church on Peach Road in Fairfield County and tells Goodman to park there and wait for him - Manning drives down the dirt road next to the church and parks the victim's car with her body in the trunk
Manning comes out of the woods with a gas can and Goodman drives to a gas station on Blythewood Road - they purchase beer and gasoline and drive back to Peach Road.
Manning sets the car on fire - burning the victim's body while Goodman waits for Manning
Manning and Goodman drive to 8800 Farrow Road (just off I77) and use the victim's credit cards at an ATM Machine and they get $500
Manning and Goodman drive back to Bluff Road
Goodman returns to her residence.
Manning goes to work.
May 7, 2009 Goodman and Manning purchase bleach at an area Wal-Mart
May 21, 2009 investigators interview Manning -- friends of the victim have told CMPD investigators that she was having a relationship with someone in Columbia named "Teddy"
May 22, 2009 CMPD investigators and CMPD Forensic Team searched Manning's home and find a bleach receipt and a pistol.
Manning IDs Goodman as the person who purchased the bleach with him
May 26, 28, 29 Richland County investigators interview Goodman.
May 29, 2009 Goodman leads investigators to the 2800 block Peach Road and the victim and her car are
found.
May 29, 2009 Manning was arrested at his home (at 8047 Bluff Road) and cooperates with investigators.
May 29/30, Richland County Forensic Team and Richland County Investigators search Manning's home and find physical evidence that the victim was killed in the home and that Goodman and Manning had attempted to clean up the home.
June 1 and 2nd Goodman is interviewed and gives conflicting statements and inconsistent statements as to her knowledge of whether he had killed someone and if there was a body in the car as they traveled up 77.
Charges of accessory after the fact for Kendra Goodman (DOB 7-21-81) are filed June 3, 2009 by Richland County Investigators because of her complicit involvement (cleaning up the house, knowledge of what Manning had done, obtaining the victim's purse and lying to investigators).
Manning and Goodman were intimately involved to include having sex after murder - that same day
"Staff" shirt seen in the bank surveillance video was recovered by Richland County investigators at Manning's home.
A pistol was found at Manning's home - not determined to be the gun used in the murder
Honda keys were located, hidden, in Manning's home with paperwork on a 2nd gun owned by manning that Manning states he used to murder the victim.
Manning has family in the Fairfield County area where the body was recovered and a fianc that lives in the Columbia area.
During Goodman's interviews Manning was calling and texting Goodman searching for her - noting that the calls/texts came concurrent with the body being recovered.
