Bamberg County Sheriff's Office
The young mother's daughters were 7, 4, and 4 months old at the time of her death, with a cousin telling local media she had "reached out for help" in her relationship with the suspect, who had an open warrant for domestic violence when the victim was killed.
A man in South Carolina will spend more than four decades behind bars for the death of his girlfriend last year after he struck a plea deal with prosecutors on Monday.
Jarrett Haskell Davis, 28, pleaded guilty for the shooting death of Megan Bodiford, 25, on April 25, 2024. Bodiford left behind three daughters, aged 7, 4, and 4 months old at the time of her death, according to a GoFundMe page.
Man 'Orchestrated' His Sexual Assault Victim's Murder in Front of Her Mom for Reporting Him: Prosecutors
View StoryDavis was sentenced to 43 years in prison for murder, along with concurrent sentences of 15 years for third-degree arson, 10 years for desecration of destruction of human remains, and five years for possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to CBS affiliate WRDW.
The victim was initially reported missing after she'd sent a disturbing text message to a friend that read, "If you don't hear from me in 30 minutes, he killed me," according to multiple media outlets, including Law&Crime, FITSNews, and NBC/CW affiliate WIS. She added, "He has a gun."
Even as authorities searched for her, per FITSNews, they were looking at Davis, who had a long criminal history, including pending charges of domestic violence in Barnwell County and an open warrant. He was also on parole at the time she disappeared.
WIS reports that deputies executed a search warrant at the couple's home and there was no evidence of Bodiford at the home.
On April 27, with Bodiford still missing after the final message she'd sent her friend, police executed a search warrant for Davis, which included his cell phone. They arrested and took Davis into custody on an already-active domestic violence warrant.
After nearly a week of searching, the Bamberg County Sheriff's Office found a dead boy in a burned vehicle on April 30. An autopsy ultimately identified the remains as belonging to Bodiford. The burned-out vehicle was found about two miles from her last known location.
On Friday, May 3, Davis was formally charged with her murder, as well as possession of a weapon during a violent crime and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, per The State.
Trio Charged in ‘House of Horrors’ After Girl, 14, Weighing 35 Pounds Found, Fourth Suspect Arrested
View StoryArrest warrants alleged that police believe Davis first shot and killed Bodiford on April 25 and then set her car on fire while she was still inside of it, per WIS. Another warrant accuses him of illegally possession a firearm as a convicted felon.
"If he would have been locked up the way that he was supposed to be the first time, maybe he wouldn’t have even gotten a chance to get this far with her," Bodiford's cousin Stephanie Nickens told the news station, referencing his open domestic violence warrant.
She also claimed that Bodiford had "reached out for help" multiple times in the weeks before her murder, including to his parole officer and law enforcement.
"She's always been in danger," a friend told FITSNews. They told the news outlet that they, too, had been reaching out to Davis' parole officer to inform them that he had been breaking the terms of his parole. A neighbor told WIS they reported hearing gunshots near the couple's home just days before her death.
"It’s gut-wrenching because he did not have to do all of that at all," Nickens added. "I keep having this thought in my mind of how fearful she was in that moment."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages; Calls are confidential and toll-free.
