Harmon cleared of murder, convicted of kidnapping

A Dillon County man accused of killing his 10-year-old stepdaughter 15 years ago has been aquitted of murder, but convicted of kidnapping.

By: By Kelly Gillespie and Patricia Burkett | SCNow
Published: October 09, 2008

DILLON — A Dillon County man accused of killing his 10-year-old stepdaughter 15 years ago was acquitted of murder, but convicted of kidnapping by a Dillon County jury Thursday afternoon.

Twelfth Circuit Judge Michael Nettles sentenced 40-year-old Sam Harmon to 12 years in state prison Thursday afternoon. That means he could only serve one year, however, because he’ll get credit for time served. He must serve one-third of his sentence to be eligible for parole and he’s already been jailed for three years.

Harmon was charged with murder, kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct in connection with the disappearance of his stepdaughter, Shakeima Cabbagestalk. The 4th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, however, did not pursue the criminal sexual conduct charge.

The 4th Circuit Solicitor’s Office initially pursued the case against Harmon as a capital case, but later withdrew that motion.

Prosecutors sought a sentence of life in prison if Sam Harmon was convicted of the charges they pursued against him.

Shakeima was last seen with Harmon at Turning Point Grocery on South First Avenue the afternoon of July 22, 1993.

Police said Harmon was the last person to see Shakeima alive.

Dillon police arrested him in August 2005 following an investigation.

The Dillon County Sheriff’s Office and State Law Enforcement Division also were involved in the investigation of the girl’s disappearance.

William Harmon, Sam Harmon’s brother, attended the trial and said he’s been waiting many years for a resolution of the case.

“One year seems like one day,” he said of his brother’s sentence.

Fourth Circuit Deputy Solicitor Kernard Redmond said Monday that although Shakeima’s body was never found, there are many reasons to think she was murdered.

Among those who testified during the trial were Dillon Police Chief Joe Rogers and Assistant Chief Bobby McClain, Shakeima’s uncle John Henry Cabbagestalk and her brother Kenneth Brown, who was 7 when she vanished.

“I sat here and listened to everything and took everything to heart,” William Harmon said. “I knew in my heart God is here.”

William Harmon said he doesn’t feel his brother is capable of committing the crimes with which he was charged.

“All those years I knew in my heart my brother don’t have the guts to do nothing like that,” William Harmon said.