SLED, Marshals asked to join search for missing woman

FLORENCE — The State Law Enforcement Division and the U.S. Marshals Service have been asked to join in the search for a 69-year-old woman reported missing Monday.

Police suspect foul play may be involved in the disappearance of Willie Mae Hayes and are treating it as a “worst-case scenario” while hoping for the best, Florence Police Maj. Carlos Raines said.

SLED helicopter agents attempted to conduct an an aerial search of the property near Hayes’ home and the perimeter of Florence on Tuesday afternoon but were thwarted by the weather.

Family members last spoke with Hayes about 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Her family suspected something was wrong when they couldn’t reach her and she didn’t show up to work Monday at a day-care center where she is employed, Raines said.

Hayes’ brother, Curley Dolford, said he last saw his sister Sunday night and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“We usually have our little Sunday afternoon chats,” Dolford said. “I always come on Sunday afternoons and she was in fine … in good spirits, and when I left her she was feeling fine.”

Dolford said Hayes’ best friend called him to say his sister was missing.

“I came around here to check and I noticed she wasn’t home and her car was gone, so I didn’t think anything was really out of the ordinary,” he said, standing her her home Monday night.

Police began to investigate Monday afternoon soon after she was reported missing, Raines said. When officers arrived at her home in the 200 block of West Liberty Street, it looked like someone had forced his or her way inside.

Several items, in addition to Hayes’ car, were stolen from her home, Raines said.

Officers later found Hayes’ vehicle backed into a parking space at an apartment complex on Roughfork Street, which is about a block from her home. Raines said it appears people other than Hayes had been in the car recently.

Raines said investigators are extremely concerned about the situation and are doing everything possible to gather information in the case.

Dolford said his sister is very religious, and he is drawing strength from his own faith in the hopes she is found safe.

“Please don’t hurt her and please return her home safely,” he said, as a message to the person who may be responsible for her disappearance. “If you don’t want to bring her back, just put her out and she can find her way back home or find her way to one of us.”

A prayer vigil for Hayes will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Monumental Baptist Church.

The vigil is being organized by the Rev. Vandroth Backus, the church’s pastor of Monumental. Hayes is a member of the church, located at 918 Oakland Ave.

“She’s a very fine lady,” Backus said. “She’s been a member of our church and our choir for 30 years.”

Anyone with information on Hayes’ whereabouts or who may have seen someone driving Hayes’ vehicle is asked to call police immediately at (843) 676-8800 or Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at (843) 667-TIPS (8477) or (866) 369-TIPS (8477). Callers need not reveal their identities.

— Morning News Staff Writer Dwight Dana contributed to this report.