Murdaugh Murders Podcast - TSP #151 [Part One] - Scott Spivey Investigation: The Case of the Missing Crime Scene Log

Starting point is 00:00:00 Years before, the name Ehrlich Murdoch was splashed across every major media outlet. I was a local South Carolina journalist, and I had an instinct that something wasn't right in the low country. The powerful Murdoch dynasty dominated rural South Carolina for generations. Few dared to publicly utter a harsh word against them. From the newsroom to the courtroom to the kitchen table where we recorded the number one global hit, the Murdoch Murdoch's podcast. I invite you to learn more about my book, Blood on Their Hands. Blood on Their Hands is a harrowing first-person narrative of battles against systemic subversions of the truth, overcoming institutional sexism, corruption, and threats to my personal safety to expose a network of horrific crimes and give voice to victims.

Starting point is 00:00:49 Click the link in the description to order today. Visit any retailers near you or visit lunasharkmedia.com book to learn the best way you can stay pesky and stay in the sunlight. I don't know what exactly happened to the crime scene log in the Scott Spivey investigation. But after taking a closer look at the internal affairs records and recordings, we were stunned to see how ORI County Police somehow mismanaged one of the most basic and crucial steps of an investigation. My name is Mandy. Matney, this is True Sunlight, a podcast exposing crime and corruption, previously known as the Murdoch murders podcast. True Sunlight is a Lunar Shark production, written with journalist Liz Farrell.

Starting point is 00:01:48 David S. David here, and I hope you'll not mind too much as I celebrate Mandy's birthday month with a bit of positivity, as I'm sure we'd all appreciate a little sunshine. But first, a quick word of appreciation for Mandy's parents, for bringing. her into this challenging world, for believing in her throughout the years, and always standing by her and with her through the ups and downs life throws. This will be the eighth birthday season that she and I will share together. So it's in that spirit that I'd like to celebrate Mandy, with all of you listening, who are cheering on our mission. Before we started the Murdoch Murders podcast in 2021, Mandy and I were just engaged after dating for a while. One might say dating for too long,

Starting point is 00:02:40 but I digress. I knew something about Mandy from the first time we talked, through our first date, through our adventures abroad, that she cared deeply about making our world a better place, and put that core virtue into every ounce of energy she put into her work, into her friendships, into her family, into our relationship. She knows that people are capable of great kindness, of great feats, of great strength, of great courage staring at adversity. She knows that humanity is capable of recovery

Starting point is 00:03:19 after monumental loss. She believes that people can be better versions of themselves, even if they are not great at times or make bad decisions along the way. She knows that so many of us are capable of redemption, though obviously not all of us as we cover those double downers on our shows far too frequently. Mandy's enviable courage to press on in the face of daunting toil, her fierce determination to climb and conquer mountains of unimaginable grief, her endless love and compassion for

Starting point is 00:03:56 those fortunate to be in her inner circle, and her tireless talent to pursue. the truth against coordinated enemies that deal out and deal in distress and terror. Those qualities are what I try to emulate and be worthy of every day. Those qualities and so many others I could ramble on about for days are why so many of you send us letters, emails and messages detailing why you support our mission. to expose the truth wherever it leads, give voice to victims, and get the story straight. So if you're inspired like I am by Mandy Matney this wondrous birthday month, I hope you'll consider expressing a little courage of your own in a battle you're facing.

Starting point is 00:04:46 Share some love with those around you who need it most. And please accept my appreciation for any well wishes you're able to send Mandy's way now or in the future. She sees it, she sees you, and arguably appreciates it now more than ever. So with that, happy birthday, Mandy. Let this birthday month, or perhaps birthday year, be a magnificent celebration with many more to come. Now, let's dive in. Aw, thank you, David. Okay, so one thing that happens a lot in our research, maybe just by the nature of cases that we choose is that we find ourselves utterly stunned into utter disbelief by the level of gaslighting that comes out of crooked law enforcement agencies, trying to

Starting point is 00:05:40 convince the public that they are not guilty of doing the things that they are obviously guilty of doing. In the Scott Spivey case, the gaslighting started immediately. Like the minute, one of his killers, Weldon Boyd, called Ory County Police Department Deputy Chief, now. former Deputy Chief Brandon Strickland from the scene for help. Ory County wants us to believe that that is no big deal, and there's nothing to see here. But not only did Deputy Chief Strickland admit to Weldon in a recorded phone call that he had sent the right guys to the scene and ostensibly direct the investigation away from his friend Weldon and Weldon's co-shooter Bradley Williams, Deputy Chiefs,

Starting point is 00:06:28 Chief Strickland also got caught on a recording, keeping Weldon uprised of aspects of the investigation and even volunteering how certain things were being done in a certain way to help Weldon just in case the Spivey family ended up filing a wrongful death case against him, which they did, obviously. And it has basically been a public service, an act of patriotism, because it's really the only reason how we know what orie county police department is willing to do to help a friend and how low they are willing to go to defend their own today we want to talk to you about the case of the missing crime scene log in the scotspivey case and how it is something we all need to remember when the gas lighting happens when the ory county councilman and other apologists

Starting point is 00:07:23 for the crime scene in Weldon and Brandon Strickland, tell us that there's nothing to see here. Crime scene log needs to be one of the many things you can say in response to remind them about how things actually are in that agency. First, I want you to listen to the press conference held in March 2025, right around when Brandon Strickland was forced out of Ory County Police. As you know, in February 2025, after a prolonged fight, Scott Spivey's sister, Jennifer's Bibi Folly, finally received the case file from her brother's shooting. Ory County Police used all the excuses they could think of to not give it to her, including that Scott is not a victim so you aren't entitled to it, which is a lie, a horrible one.

Starting point is 00:08:16 and when they finally gave the case file to her, it was incomplete. One of the many things missing was the aforementioned crime scene log. Again, stick a pen in that. This March 12th, 2025 press conference, is basically the public fallout from Jennifer's initial findings in the case file. It was held one day after Deputy Chief Brandon Strickland was forced to resign. This is Chief Chris Lionheart talking. So I want to thank you all for joining me this afternoon.

Starting point is 00:08:52 Late last week, we were made aware of questions concerning a 2023 road raid shooting incident. With those questions, that led me to contact our local FBI office as well as our SLED partners to review that case. I've requested both of them to do that. We take the concerns of our community members seriously. We want to be thorough in looking through and cooperating with this. I will provide to, I will provide proactive updates along the way as possible, but currently the case is under investigation by those agencies. I know. So thrilling.

Starting point is 00:09:33 And he didn't even mention Strickland. It actually took us calling the county P-I-O back then to confirm that Strickland was gone. Also, L-O-L-O-O-O-O-O-O-O. He'll provide updates. How much longer should we wait on those, Chief? So, okay, Chief Leonhardt doesn't say this here. But in addition to allegedly alerting the FBI and SLED about what the FBI and SLED had already been told by Jennifer's attorneys, ORI County was supposedly going to conduct their own investigation into the investigation, in which Orie County appeared to have done a lot of things corruptly, which is what we're

Starting point is 00:10:09 going to start talking about today. After we and others, began reporting on the Spivey case last year and what we were hearing and seeing in the case file, the good old boys did the predictable things they do. The lawyers denied, denied, denied, and the guys in charge promised to look into things and keep the public updated, which again, do any of you remember Chief Chris Leonhardt updating the public on the case of the missing crime scene log in the Scott Spivey case? Yeah, we don't either. Broken promises, man.

Starting point is 00:10:41 So let's start with two very familiar names, Officer Kerry Higgs and Officer Damon Viscovy. Higgs was first on the scene on September 9th, 2023, and was later seen on camera, warning, Weldon Big Blabber Boyd, at least twice, to shut up, to stop talking. Because what if, what if what you're saying on camera, man, doesn't match your story later? Higgs said something like that to Weldon, because, you know, cops, famous for not wanting suspects. to talk about what happened. And Viscovy. Ah, Viscovy. The man who showed up on the scene like a disgruntled gummy bear,

Starting point is 00:11:20 bouncing around and barking at confused drivers and escalating the chaos instead of managing it. The man who walked up to Weldon and asked, is that Ken? A reference to Weldon's attorney, Ken Moss, before taking the phone to have his own conversation with Weldon, the suspect's attorney. Ken, the man who appears to have led Ken to believe,

Starting point is 00:11:41 he could help him get onto the crime scene, which is not okay. The man who, after speaking to Ken, wrote, act like a victim, cameras in his police notebook and then showed it to Weldon, on the very same camera he was warning Weldon about, which Beth Braiding caught, not Chris Lianhart, not Sled, not South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson's office. Beth. Okay, so after Higgs got to Camp Swamp Road,

Starting point is 00:12:07 he disarmed Weldon, didn't seem to notice Bradley, went to unceremoniously poke Scott in the butt to see if Scott was in fact dead, directed a little traffic and then cordoned off the area with crime scene tape. Then he started a crime scene log. At this point in time, Officer Higgs was just over eight months out of the police academy. Viscovy, on the other hand, had been with Orie County Police since March 2002. You would not know either of those things from the way each man conducted himself. Carrie Higgs dutifully signed the crime scene log

Starting point is 00:12:40 and wrote the time he arrived on the scene and then he had the medical first responders do the same. Here's what happened when he went to have Viscovy, the second police officer to arrive on the scene and the first supervisor. Viscovy got there before the EMTs. But what time did you get here? I'm right she lost me or not.

Starting point is 00:13:06 What time did you get here? I roll down there. You have my arrival time? God thing. Three nights. Okay. Sir, if you never arrived on scene with me, I think you were a little preoccupied. Who was the first on same?

Starting point is 00:13:33 Oh. First off the same. You were three minutes behind me, not even? What was the third time? That was 6.30 and that was going to be at 1810. Yeah, I wasn't long. I mean, minutes. Probably two?

Starting point is 00:13:51 Yeah, two or three tops. So, Viscovy hadn't even alerted dispatch that he, was at the scene. I'm sure that happens a lot, but it shouldn't because this is sloppy police work and who likes sloppy police work? Criminal defense attorneys do. They love it. If they could, they would marry sloppy police work and have babies with sloppy police work who they can afford to put through college because of sloppy police work. Okay, so we can all agree that there was a crime scene log that night, right? If you watch the video, you can actually see that it's on a clipboard. You can also see that Higgs left a space for Viscoe to sign in above the medical

Starting point is 00:14:32 first responders who signed the log before Viscoe did. Is that a problem? David, can you read the parts I've marked from the Myrtle Beach Sun News article from February 2, 2008, starting with the headline. Winkler lawyer plants idea of evidence contamination. A defense lawyer in the trial of a man charged with killing his wife, grilled an ORI County Police Department Investigator Friday about potential evidence contamination because several people walked around the scene of the fatal shooting. Ralph Wilson focused much of his cross-examination Friday on former crime scene investigator Andrew Cooper's processing of the crime scene, where Rebecca Winkler was killed March 6, 2006. Wilson is defending Winkler's husband, Lewis, Mick Winkler.

Starting point is 00:15:30 During cross-examination, Cooper said that 19 officers, including three solicitors from the Ory County 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office, were at the crime scene during the night of the shooting. Wilson asked, quote, how many touched the body of the victim, how many were in the room where the gun was, how many people were. walked in the area where that bullet may or may not have been cut out." To each question, Cooper answered, I cannot answer that. Cooper later acknowledged a crime scene log was not done chronologically. Now, this Winkler jerk was found guilty, thankfully, but this stuff matters. It gets brought up and exploited by the defense, hoping that it is it will put doubt into one juror's mind.

Starting point is 00:16:27 But the chronologically part is interesting, right? In the Scott Spivey case, Higgs had a solution for the chronology issue. He knew Viscovy got there before the fire department, so he left a space for him. I guess that's okay. So Viscovy guessed that he got there two minutes after Higgs did, but it was almost a full five minutes, not that it matters necessarily. It's just more information that an attorney can use to muddy the waters with the jury. If you're making up information here, where else are you making up information?

Starting point is 00:17:04 Okay, a crime scene log is very important as you will hear ORI County CSI investigator, Chanel Thomassey, note in a bit. It lets everyone know who was there and who wasn't, and how long they were there, by the way. The ORI County crime scene log for Scott's shooting does not have anyone signing out of the crime scene. So that's great. Right after Viscovy called dispatch to ask a woman to do his job for him, a patrol officer radioed to Viscovy to tell him that someone from O'I County Electric was there. We've talked about this before.

Starting point is 00:17:45 It wasn't an O'Re County electric worker to see a client. It was Ken Moss, who, in addition to defending Weldon, served as General Counsel to ORI County Electric. He was wearing an ORI County Electric shirt on this particular night. Kid Moss says that he didn't tell this officer that he was with ORI County Electric, so he says the officer just assumed that. We would love to verify that for you, but that officer's body camera footage is missing from the case file that was turned over to Jennifer Spybee Folly.

Starting point is 00:18:22 We can't watch it or hear what was set. We do know from other footage, though, that Weldon's attorney, Ken Moss, was definitely on the crime scene soon after that. He appears in the background of an investigator's interview with Blaze Ward, visible through the back window of the cruiser she is sitting in and walking around on the phone. Wonder who he was talking to?

Starting point is 00:18:49 Hmm. Regardless, I'm not seeing his name on the crime scene log. And it should be. Other investigators who are not seen going into the inner perimeter, who only appear to have been in the outer perimeter, sign that log. We need to talk about the unclear crime scene in this investigation. After a quick break, we'll be right back. Thank you so much for supporting our mission to get voiced to victims by watching Hulu's Murdoch death in the family.

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Starting point is 00:20:09 Plus curated behind-the-scenes coverage of the Hulu series. Join our mission and become a member today at lunashark.supercast or click the link in the description. So this brings us to another important point. What exactly was considered the crime scene, right? Well, first we have the portion of Camp Swamp Road that Higgs tied off with crime scene tape. Then about a quarter mile down the road on Highway 9

Starting point is 00:20:44 was the checkpoint of road officers redirecting traffic away from the scene. So Camp Swamp appears to have been designated the inner crime scene and the area immediately outside of it back to, well, it's not clear, because there should be an outer loop of tape marking off the outside area of the outer crime scene. So either the entire crime scene was from where the Highway 9 checkpoint of officers was to the entrance of Camp Swamp Road, or it was the area immediately outside the Camp Swamp crime tape. Here's why this is so important.

Starting point is 00:21:15 Typically, you want as few people as possible inside that inner circle of tape. You want a responding officer, maybe, if there's a reason for him to go in there, medical personnel, maybe, coroner, and the lead invents. before the crime scene investigators get there. It depends on who is absolutely necessary. The fewer people, the more you're preserving the integrity of the scene and the evidence, and preventing the defense from a smoke and mirrors trick. Also, the outer perimeter around the inner crime scene is also important,

Starting point is 00:21:47 and anyone in that area is also supposed to sign in when they get there and sign out when they leave. In 2021, I was at a crime scene on Hilton Head as the assistant public information officer for the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. The family of the presumed victim, who had been put in a suitcase that someone tried to burn after dumping it in a church parking lot, had just arrived on the scene, and I needed to get information from the lead detectives. So I walked into the outer perimeter of that scene, and immediately, I'm talking immediately, I got bum rushed by the deputy who was put in charge of the crime scene log to make sure I was authorized to be there and that I signed it. At the scene of Scott's spot,

Starting point is 00:22:27 5-ease shooting. Things weren't so organized. In fact, they were unnecessarily messy, largely because of Damon Vascobie, in our opinions. He seemed like he was there for community gossip, rather than there as a seasoned officer securing a crime scene. Weldon and Bradley were sitting inside the inner perimeter together, along with witnesses' numbers four and five, Terry and Monica Wright, the couple that had driven past the scene and circled back to, quote-unquote, help. They spent about an hour chatting with Weldon and Bradley, who again, we're sitting together, getting Weldon's version of what happened, which certainly appears to have affected the statement Terry gave police later and on the stand. So, are Weldon, Bradley, Terry, and Monica

Starting point is 00:23:09 on this crime scene log? Hilarious. No, of course they're not. How about any of the other witnesses who are hanging out in the outer perimeter, moving around? Nope. How about the corner, who pulled up to the scene and just sat in his car in the outer perimeter right up on the edge of the inner perimeter. I don't know what he was doing, waiting to be told to leave, I guess, since Ory County police weren't going to let him do his job that night because they planned to tow Scott's body to the impound lot and undress him on the ground. Nope, the coroner did not log in, and he didn't log out either. Okay, I promise I'm not going to belabor the point, but we have to talk a little more about why crime scene logs are so important and why it matters that it wasn't

Starting point is 00:23:53 in the case file. So, O'I County appears to have an official of crime. scene log form, and this is what Higgs was using that evening. But a log could be kept in a notebook, too, just depends on the agency's policies. All police agencies across the nation can agree that crime scene logs are necessary, but there is no one standard in how to do it. The point is to restrict access to the scene itself. All of this is about the integrity of the evidence and chain of custody. Crime scenes can be chaotic, and this practice creates control. When we first began reporting on this case, knew the crime scene log was missing, along with a number of other pieces of evidence from the file that was given to Jennifer. What we didn't know is that it was missing missing, as in

Starting point is 00:24:37 orie County Police couldn't find it because it was never saved with a case file. We also didn't know that Ori County was conducting an internal affairs investigation within an internal affairs investigation of the Scotsby criminal investigation. But we know now. So let's talk about the case of the missing crime scene log. Let's start with what the written report says about what this team of ding-dongs knew about the missing log going into this investigation. David?

Starting point is 00:25:06 Upon review, private first class Carrie Higgs in-car video that allowed me to see, observe, when Detective Trey McQueen received the crime scene log and appeared to be signing it. Private first-class Higgs is observed on his car video, handing Detective Michael Quick the crime scene log to sign. Detective Quick, then appears to hand Lieutenant DeShong the crime scene log,

Starting point is 00:25:28 who appears to sign it. Lieutenant DeShong hands the log back to Private First Class Higgs, who then hands it to Detective McQueen. Detective McQueen then appears to sign it. Private First Class Higgs then walks off camera without anything in his hands, while Detective McQueen still has it in his possession. Detective McQueen then walks out of camera view with the log. A moment later, crime scene investigator,

Starting point is 00:25:55 Tumasi pulls up. It appears that Private First Class Higgs walks back into camera view as Lieutenant DeShong walks up to Tommossey's vehicle. Higgs now appears to have the clipboard back in his hand at this time, but is not seen handing it to Tommasi, who is still in her vehicle. Higgs walks back out of camera view, still in possession of the clipboard, while Tumasi pulls her vehicle up and exits. The video is unclear due to the distance, but it appears that an officer possibly Higgs walks up to her and they have a conversation. But it was not observed that Tommasi was handed anything as the officer walks off. And Tommasi steps behind and around the back of her vehicle with nothing observed in her hands. Nothing else is observed or heard in reference to the

Starting point is 00:26:45 crime scene log in this video. On September 8th of last year, almost two years to the date after Weldon and Bradley killed Scott, Sergeant Bann Sissell called Detective Michael Quick, who, as you just heard, was one of the investigators on Camp Swamp Road who interviewed witnesses. Now, remember, this is happening after all of the backlash to the agency on how they handled the Scott Spivey case. Two officers, Strickland and Viscovy, have already been let go at this point. But because Jennifer Spivey Foley was asking where the crime scene log was, these officers were likely aware that these interviews were going to become part of the civil case.

Starting point is 00:27:35 Anyway, listen to the way Sergeant Sissell leads Detective Quick. Instead of allowing Quick to say what he thinks happened to the log after signing it, Sissle gives Quick the rundown of what officially happened. I get that Cicill has seen Quick doing all of this on video, but it's a pet peeve when investigators don't just let people talk. Take a listen. I know you've already spoke to Lieutenant Phillips and at that time, I think, believed him and King. You can reference to a quick interview they did with you on this one. The reason I'm calling is I've been asked to follow up on the crime scene law.

Starting point is 00:28:19 I understand that Officer Higgs has had one started. I was able to find in his body warm camera video where I guess you had gotten there, you and Queen, I believe, had gotten there. And it appeared to me that he was wanting to hand over the crime scene model to you and that you may have said, well, I'm just going to say, well, I'm just going to sign it or something to that effected. Then he ends up shutting off his body cam video before that actually occurs.

Starting point is 00:28:57 I think he had just handed it to you, then he turned around and shut his body cam video off it. So my question to you is, or one of my questions would be, did you sign that crime scene long that day? Do you recall? Yes. To my recollection, man, I do remember signing it. Uh-huh. And I obviously was some time ago, but I'm pretty sure, I think McQueen was to my right.

Starting point is 00:29:22 I think whenever I signed it, I handed it off to McQueen. And then, obviously, I don't recall what the trade did with it after that. Oh, so the thing on video that Cicill said happened is actually what happened. Cool. Next, Cicill asked quick and interesting question. Okay. Okay. And for clarification, if you're the detective handling the case, like you're a primary detective,

Starting point is 00:29:53 would normally that be giving to you or would it be given to crime scene or what do you all? So the way we've normally done it, at least on the cases I've been a part of or I'm in the primary or even ones that I'm assisting on, usually if crime scene goes with us or if they're responding, crime scene will be the one that patrol hands it to. If it's like a shooting or some kind of violent crime that crime scene doesn't have to come out and it's just

Starting point is 00:30:21 the detectives that are there will keep it. The primary usually keeps it and that way we can scan it into the case file. But if crime scene's with us, typically what happens is whoever is doing it for patrol, the log, will end up handing it over to the crime scene primary detectives.

Starting point is 00:30:38 Okay. That's what I thought. Okay. Just trying to confirm the process a little bit there. It's been a minute since I did that. All right. Well, I think that's all the question I got for me. I just trying to follow up on that to see if I can track down

Starting point is 00:30:53 or jarny memories as to where, you know, track where that thing went. Right. Well, if you have anything else, then, obviously just check out and I'll try to help as much as I can. I know that we're trying to find that log, but yeah, I appreciate it. I like that.

Starting point is 00:31:10 How is this normally handled? Why is Cicill asking that? Isn't there an official policy on that that everyone already knows? Anyway, Quicks name was on the crime scene log. He did not sign out, though. The next person was interviewed on September 9th, according to the IA investigation file, and it was Sergeant Mark Martin, who was at the crime scene the night of the shooting. You can also see Sergeant Martin in the interview room with Weldon and Bradley later that evening. Okay. So you do you remember, do you remember seeing or laying eyes on a crime scene on? Sorry, I can't, I can't remember. I mean, I can't remember seeing one or signing one.

Starting point is 00:31:54 It's been, it's been a few years now. I can't remember exactly if I get it in the death. All right, but if there had been, it would have been normal protocol for any detective response to the crime scene. Absolutely, yes. Yeah, that's first thing, first thing I do is. what I was fine just saying is seek up the crime scene law to sign it and then you go from there okay but you can't remember whether I can't remember yeah that's it's just yeah I can't remember sir I'm sorry that's I mean that's fine I know it's been a couple years together but I mean to see what you do remember so it's I've asked all the seconds this so far this part I've spoken with that normal

Starting point is 00:32:38 protocol would be, if you were to detective, a lead detective on a crime scene where CSI had responded to, would it be correct in the normal protocol, would that the crime scene log would either go to CSI or the lead detective, and in the absence of CSI responding would go to the lead detective. Is that correct? That's correct, yes, yeah, that's normal protocol. Sergeant Martin's name was indeed on the crime scene log. Also, we've now heard from two Ory County police officers, and they've both said that, yes, there is a protocol when it comes to who gets the crime scene log. It goes to the lead detective.

Starting point is 00:33:19 Okay, now it's getting interesting. As you know, Alan Jones was the lead detective in this case. In Weldon's and Bradley stand your ground hearing this past February, it came out through testimony from the crime scene investigator, Shal Neal Tamasi, that Alan had asked her to retrieve Bradley Williams bag, a.k.a. evidence from the crime scene, and return it to the suspect, Bradley. As a result, that bag did not get searched or cataloged or photographed. Alan also told Shal Neal that they did not need to get a search warrant or search Weldon's iPad,

Starting point is 00:33:52 which is believed to have had video of Weldon's interactions with Scott, leading up to and possibly including Scott's death. Oh, and Shal Neal told the court this, about how she discovered the bag of steroids hidden in a compartment in the backseat of Scott's truck. That's right. What would I tell us? Who touched the door in? Yes, sir. Touched DNA.

Starting point is 00:34:14 Okay. The warrant allowed you to collect any DNA, any in all. Yes, sir. Any way related to the suspect of the victims, correct? Yes, sir. And these pills were significant enough to take photographs of, and tell the judge you told you where it doesn't find the pills. Um, that would either have been Sergeant Stevenson or, uh, Detective Alan Jones.

Starting point is 00:34:39 In fact, he testified in your deposition it was Alan Jones that told you to look in there, didn't I believe it was? Yes, sir. Oh, and Alan Jones was also the one who quote unquote interviewed Weldon and Bradley, which I put in quotes because that was more like a check the box meet and greet. Speaking of Shelneal Tamasi, let's hear what she told the IA investigator about the crime scene log. So at any point in time, do you recall seeing or taking possession of a crime scene log that was initiated by Officer Kerry Higgs? No, sir. No, sir.

Starting point is 00:35:16 Tomasi doesn't remember seeing or taking possession of the crime scene log, but she did sign it on the night of the shooting. She did the right thing. Has anybody spoken to you about this previously or? Yeah. Were you aware of that at the time or? Recently, the chief, the chief I called everybody in that was, that responded out there in regards to the crime scene log asking about, you know, getting everybody together to see if everybody together in the room, we could try to figure out and clarify where it is. There was no, nothing came of that. maybe a week or two before that meeting, Matt Stevenson asked me just to go ahead and double-check the case file folder, like my hard notes and stuff, to see if it was in there.

Starting point is 00:36:07 It is not. We also checked every file, CSI file we have, and it's not in any of those either. Just the case it was misplaced, but no, we do not have it. Oh, so the chief called everyone in a room so that they could, as a group, figure out. out and clarify where the crime scene long is? And then everyone got interviewed individually about it. This is significant because that means this went from being a we need this, where is it, kind of saying to a corruption or incompetence are afoot.

Starting point is 00:36:46 And everyone is watching us right now. So who do we blame for this? As you can hear in this next part, it seems like investigator Tamasi sees where the this interview is going. Would that document normally be something that would be included in your overall case file? Yes, sir. And I'm assuming that is that something you just didn't recognize upon completion in your case file? Mm-hmm.

Starting point is 00:37:13 If it's not in the case files, then it's that I don't have it to put in the case file. Right, right. That's what I'm asking. At the time, that was your assumption that you didn't, there was not one that you had in your possession to put in the case file, correct? Yes, yes, sir. At any point during your completion of your file, did you come to mind that you, hey, where's the privacy law or?

Starting point is 00:37:45 I would assume that I definitely did ask about that because that is an important piece of paper. Now, could I sit here and definitely 100% tell you that I actually asked? No, sir, it's been two years. Right, right. Okay. All right. Is there any other insight you might be able to give me as far as anything having to do with the crimes? No, sir.

Starting point is 00:38:04 Okay, so they can't blame Tamasi for this. So on to the next one. More on that after a quick break, and we'll be right back. Let's see what Sergeant Sissell found out in his interview with Detective Trey McQueen, who, like Tommasi, was interviewed on September 9th, 2025. Do you recall signing that crime scene long? I vaguely remember signing it. I'm sure I did just because that's normal practice. But I don't remember at all who I passed it off to you. Detective McQueen did sign the crime scene log. Okay.

Starting point is 00:38:58 But do you say pretty positively that there was a crime scene log? Yes. Okay. And the normal procedure, though, would be when y'all respond to the scene, you would log yourself in onto that crime scene long, correct? That would be the normal procedure. Correct. Yes, sir. That's kind of a weird question to ask, right? Sissal knows that McQueen's name is on the log. And he saw McQueen with the log on Higgs' dashboard camera. And McQueen is saying he remembers signing it. So why is Cicel establishing a law? that it is normal procedure to sign the log then. Huh. Maybe stick a pit in that one.

Starting point is 00:39:41 Would you say the normal practice if you had a crime scene where CSI had responded, the crime scene law would be relinquished to them? And then there would be cases where crime scene did not respond and it would be handed off to the lead detective. Would that be correct? Yes, sir. As I know it, yes, sir.

Starting point is 00:40:04 Okay. But as I think you just previously stated, after you're possibly signing it, which you're pretty confident that you may have, you do not recall whether it was handed back to, to tell you quick or handed back to the initiating officer, which would have been Higgs. That's correct. I cannot remember that. I don't think that I took it anywhere from what I remember. Because I think I immediately started doing interviews shortly after signing it. Okay. Okay.

Starting point is 00:40:41 So you at this time have no idea what may have happened to that crime suit log after you signed it? No, sir. Again, that's an odd line of questioning when Cicill knows the handoff back to Higgs happened. So why is he asking this? Could it be because they suspect the problem is the lead detective? Huh, I think it's time we hear from that lead detective, Alan Jones. And this is where things get even more interesting, because it's also where things are a little different. For one, there are two IAA investigators at Allen's interview, and it appears to be in person, whereas the others so far have been phone calls.

Starting point is 00:41:23 Also, Alan is the only one Cicill asks about having signed forms related to potential disciplinary actions. This interview took place on September 11th. Listen to Sissell's voice. Obviously, we weren't there, and we do not have videos of these interactions, but he almost seems a little nervous asking these questions of Alan. This is Sergeant Van Sissell with the Office of Professional Standards. It is 9-11-25 at 2.14 p.m. I'm here with Sergeant Alan Jones. And Sergeant Blake Planner.

Starting point is 00:41:59 And I'm conducting a follow-up. investigation on the Weldon Boyd Spivey case, case number 2023-11109, EBT number 0-000-09-19 in reference to the crime scene log. So as a, Sir, Judge, you've already previously been interviewed about this case and signed a confidentiality form and all that and read that and signed it, correct? Correct. A confidentiality form would bar. Alan from discussing what was asked of him and how he responded with anyone else in the agency.

Starting point is 00:42:40 Okay. And you were the primary lead detective on that case? I was the lead detective on the case. Okay. So do you recall seeing or signing a crime scene log from that incident? I'm sure there was a crime scene log and I'm sure I signed it. Okay. It's just... Do you want to ever say no, there was one and just, or are you just assuming that protocol normally requires one I'm assuming that protocol normally requires one okay and what is the normal procedure with handling a crime scene log like who would initiate that who would I know there's been a new directive but who at that time at that time what would have been the proper procedure for the initial

Starting point is 00:43:27 responding officers initially got to the scene that secured it was something one of either that officer or one of those officers would initiate crime scene law. Anybody coming into the crime scene would sign it and document it initial it. You know, they would fill it out. No officer or whoever was going into the crime scene would initial it. And that officer would maintain that log until such time it was either turned over to one of the crime scene investigators or one of the detectives. Normally if crime scene was on scene, a lot of times everyone was it would take it. On the same hand, it could have been one of the detectives.

Starting point is 00:44:00 I want to think the crime scene hadn't come in a completely broken down at the time that most of the detectives left to go do the interview with Boyd and Williams at that time, if I recall correctly. It's been literally two years ago. Right. Okay. So at this point, you don't ever, you don't ever recall actually physically seeing the crime scene log at all? No, I don't. I cannot say that I physically remember seeing the crime scene log or signing it. I can tell you that that's protocol.

Starting point is 00:44:34 Alan did not sign the crime scene log, by the way. But also, notice how he said the procedure is for it to get handed off to a detective, not the lead detective. So is there anything else that you can tell me about the log or what your ideas might have been? I don't know. At the time of the investigation, did you, is that anything that came to mind as far as, hey, where's, you know, I haven't seen one yet or anything? No. Okay.

Starting point is 00:45:09 All right. And those types of scenes, it normally would be one done, correct? Correct. All right. Well, I think that's all the questions I have for you. And that was it. Kind of reminds me of that documentary The Crash on Netflix. When McKenzie Shurula's dad recounts getting called by the school to come pick up his daughter for some disciplinary reason,

Starting point is 00:45:31 He said that when he got there, he asked his daughter, is those true? And she was like, no. And then he was like, good enough for me. Okay, so how did ORI County Police end up finding this missing crime scene log? Let's listen in on the September 16th interview with Kerry Higgs. Reminder, this IA investigation within an IA investigation has been happening for weeks at this point. So, Officer Higgs, what I've been tasked to do is, do some follow-up interviews and reference to the crime scene log as we were not able to locate it.

Starting point is 00:46:13 We know one that existed because it's on your body, camera, video, but it was not a part of the, was not put into the CSI case file or the lead detective Jones case file for the case. And I was tasked with just kind of following up with anybody that may have had hands on it. I understand with the initiating officer that night, the first responder. Yes, sir. On first responding officer on scene. Yes. Which it could be started by anybody, but it was started by you.

Starting point is 00:46:46 Yes, sir. Verified by your body on camera video. So I was bringing here to ask you about that and what you may recall for that crime scene log. But as you've informed me prior to you coming here for this interview, that you had located the crime scene log. Can you tell me what happened with that? Had you checked on it before? Just anything you can tell me about?

Starting point is 00:47:14 Oh, so he found it right before going on the record about what might have happened to it and who he might have handed it off to. I'm not saying that Higgs is lying, by the way. I'm saying I don't trust him because of his advice to Weldon to shut up at the scene, and I don't trust the ORI County Police Department. What he said might be true. It might be one of those things that did happen. But I also can't say that Ory County Police

Starting point is 00:47:45 aren't good for it when it comes to making up a cover story. Let's hear what Higgs says happened. So from the last meeting that we had had, I've gone through my paperwork multiple times, trying to look through. I do have a storage bin in the back of my patrol car with all pertinent information from different investigations and stuff like that on my level that I've done case files and stuff like that for quick references for court. Some have come up. Other ones that I've gone to court with when I'm completed with those, they get filed into the back the actual file and cabinet that I have at my time. That you keep from your records.

Starting point is 00:48:31 Yes. Yeah. And all those records are for either cases that I've not gone through to court for yet or for quick references if I'm having like a stumbling block on exactly what charge would be. Right. Or similarities in a charge with something that I can take it like a little bit better. Just to try to advance yourself. Going through again this morning, I had a little bit of downtime while I was at work, so I pulled that whole entire thing out and I went through every single case file that I had.

Starting point is 00:49:11 Some are 50 pages, some are 100 pages, and I went through each one individually, pulled some apart, going through. fortunately when I was doing that I felt a paper on the backside of a good size pile that didn't feel the same so I kept leafing through kept leafing through and it was

Starting point is 00:49:35 I guess instead of regular perfect printer paper that's gone through copy it was like a little bit crumpled looked through and that ended up being the crime scene log for Camp Swamp it was pretty much stuck to the back of one of the stacks of paper that I had to where I had to like peel it all.

Starting point is 00:50:01 Okay. And this is this paper that you handed here to me is the crime scene line that you created on the night of the end. Yes, sir. Correct. Okay. And now they have the crime scene log, just like that. Now listen to Sistle, help pad Higgs landing for him. When you got there, how was the scene? Was it chaotic?

Starting point is 00:50:21 There's a lot of things going on. Yeah. For somebody that hasn't really been the... It's extremely overwhelming, to be honest. Dealing with individuals with firearms, individual that unfortunately had passed, dealing with firearm, dealing with an extensive amount of traffic.

Starting point is 00:50:44 A lot of people kind of not screaming and yelling, but being in a height of. state of them not knowing what's going on, which kind of adds to me not knowing what's going on. And I still have tried to basically be chronological in what's going on, maintain the safety, make sure that EMS can come in, and that's safe. Try to get as many people or many cars that have nothing to do with the case. Try to get all those out without disturbing or contaminating the scene even more. Right. So, yes, it was extremely difficult at that time.

Starting point is 00:51:23 So at that time, were you from, being relatively new as a patrol officer, as you and I know, that seven months as a patrol officer, you're still in a learning phase. Yes. Don't anybody get mad at the guy who's still learning, y'all? This doesn't at all account for Shell Neil Tamasi and Alan Jones, both being seasoned officers and knowing what should be in a case file? And it raises a question of, was this log not suburb? thought before because not having a crime scene log helps the defense? It's a very fair question in our opinions. Not having that crime scene log would have helped create chaos in this case if Weldon

Starting point is 00:52:02 and Bradley had been charged in Scott's death. But let's indulge the good old boys and their excuses for a minute, shall we? You know, not to be a police officer and be on the road by yourself you went through FTO, but I don't know it takes up to several years to really have the confidence of responding to every call and knowing how to handle that call. At the time, were you familiar with the protocol we had as far as maintain the crime scene entry log and who it would have been given to at the scene at the time? Not really.

Starting point is 00:52:39 I knew that there definitely had to be one started going around trying to get as much, however many people have been in there, to sign off on it, get time. and everything like that. Towards the end, handing stuff to people and getting it back and everything like that, it wasn't on my mind at that time to know exactly who to give it to

Starting point is 00:53:07 because I was not positive on who actually was there. The irony. The guy in charge of the crime scene log wasn't positive about who was actually at the crime scene where he was tracking who was at the crime scene. We have so much more to talk about with ORI County Police's IAA investigation into how they conducted the spivey case.

Starting point is 00:53:31 When we started looking into the IA file, though, and saw that this very basic part of any investigation involving a crime scene, a key part that when missing, when messy, when incomplete, gives the defense some mud for their courtroom waters, was handled this way. and then we saw how it was investigated, we had to share this with you first. If this investigation were handled like any other investigation,

Starting point is 00:53:56 we would chalk this up to incompetence or something getting lost in the shuffle or a new guy not knowing what to do, run-of-the-mill sloppiness. But it wasn't handled like any other investigation. It was handled in a way to give the two suspects, Weldon and Bradley, a case that would put them in the best possible light. So was this log really missing missing? Or was it missing, as in not looked for? Because to not have it would be one more helpful thing for Brandon Strickland's friend Weldon.

Starting point is 00:54:27 Now, again, we are still waiting to hear if and when the state grand jury will press charges in the Scotsby case. The stand-your-ground hearing in February opened the door for not only Weldon and Bradley to be possibly charged, but also the cops who allegedly helped in the cover-up too. South Carolina typically has a bad reputation when it comes to holding our own cops accountable. Most of them see lesser charges with little to no jail time for punishment, which is exactly why we are one of the most corrupt police states in the nation, in my opinion. However, despite the prevalence of police corruption cases in South Carolina, few have garnered anywhere near the level of media attention received by the Scots Spivey case.

Starting point is 00:55:19 So, we are anxiously awaiting to see what they do in this case. In the meantime, we are going to continue to remind the people of ORI County just how rotten their police department is. That is, until ORI County Council decides to fix it. And speaking of media attention in the Scots Spivey case. Remember how Weldon Boyd sued Mark Tensley? Well, there is a hearing scheduled for next week in that case, and we have a lot to tell you about that in part two of this week's True Sunlight podcast. Until then, stay tuned, stay pesky, and stay in the sunlight.

Starting point is 00:56:14 True Sunlight is a Luna Shark production created by me, Mandy Matinee, co-hosted and reported by journalist Liz Pharrell. Research support provided by Beth Braden. Audio production support provided by Jamie Hoffman and Grace Hills. Case file management by Kate Thomas. Learn more about our mission and membership at lunasharkmedia.com. Interruptions provided by Luna and Joe Pesky. The justice system can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be.

Starting point is 00:56:52 We all want a drink from the same cup of justice, and it starts with learning about our legal system. My name is Mandy Matney, and together with journalists, Liz Farrell and world-renowned attorney Eric Bland, we create the perfect trifecta of legal expertise, journalistic integrity, and a fire lit to expose the truth wherever it leads. We all encounter a part of our justice systems at one point, so why not get prepared while being entertained with tales from the newsroom and the courtroom? Cup of Justice has amazing special guests like Cheryl Crow, Vinipolitan, Emily D. Baker,

Starting point is 00:57:27 and other experts to share their take on the Breyer. side of the truth. Luna Shark Media invites you to gain knowledge, insight and tools to hold your own or hold public agencies accountable. Search for Cup of Justice wherever you get your podcast or visit Cup of Justice pod.com.

Murdaugh Murders Podcast - TSP #151 [Part One] - Scott Spivey Investigation: The Case of the Missing Crime Scene Log

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