DILLON — Both the prosecution and the defense in the murder trial of a Dillon County man accused of killing his 10-year-old stepdaughter 15 years ago concluded their cases Wednesday.
Sam Harmon, 40, is charged with murder, kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct. Dillon police arrested him in August 2005 following an in-depth investigation. The 4th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, however, is no longer pursuing the criminal sexual conduct charge.
His stepdaughter, Shakeima Cabbagestalk, was last seen with him at Turning Point Grocery on South First Avenue the afternoon of July 22, 1993. Her mother, Shirley Harmon, reported her missing to Dillon police.
John Henry Cabbagestalk, Shakeima’s uncle, testified Wednesday he had a conversation with Sam Harmon about disposing a body a week before the girl disappeared.
John Cabbagestalk said he and Sam Harmon discussed different ways to get rid of a body, including dumping it in a lake.
Apollo Ellerbee, a man who said he talked with Sam Harmon in 2005, testified Wednesday, as well.
Ellerbee said Sam Harmon told him he would never plead guilty in the case because “they never found a body and they never will find one.”
Sam Harmon’s defense countered by saying both witnesses are jailhouse snitches out to earn themselves shorter sentences.
Kenneth Brown, Shakeima’s brother, also took the stand to talk about what happened the day his sister disappeared. He was 7 at the time.
Police said Sam Harmon was the last person to see Shakeima alive. The Dillon County Sheriff’s Office and State Law Enforcement Division also were involved in the investigation of the girl’s disappearance.
The 4th Circuit Solicitor’s Office initially pursued the case against Sam Harmon as a capital case, but later withdrew that motion.
Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of life in prison if Sam Harmon is convicted in this case.
Count on News13, scnow.com and the Morning News for continuing coverage of this trial.
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