Murder: True Crime Stories - SOLVED: Mystery in Myrtle Beach 1

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

In December 2013, 20-year-old Heather Elvis vanished from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — leaving behind her car, her phone, and a trail of unanswered questions. Before she disappeared, Heather was caught in a dangerous affair with 37-year-old Sidney Moorer, a married man who promised her love but brought chaos instead. When Sidney’s wife, Tammy, found out, her fury turned Heather’s life into a nightmare. This episode traces Heather’s journey from a hopeful young woman to the center of one of South Carolina’s most chilling mysteries — and the final phone call that would change everything. Murder: True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Murder: True Crime Stories! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi, crimehouse community. It's Carter Roy, and if you love digging into the most gripping true crime stories, then you need to listen to another crime house original. Crimes of with Sabrina Deanna Roga and Corinne Vienne.N. Crimes of is a weekly series that explores a new theme each season, from crimes of paranormal, unsolved murders, mysterious disappearances, and more. Sabrina and Corinne have been covering the true stories behind Hollywood's most iconic horror villains, and this month they'll be diving into the paranormal. Listen to Crimes of Every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. young people don't always make the best decisions it's normal after all early adulthood is all about exploring having new experiences and pushing boundaries 20-year-old heather elvis was looking to do just that in 2013 after moving to myrtle beach south carolina she was in the market for some fun maybe a light-hearted

romance. She found that in 37-year-old Sydney Moorer. There was just one problem. He was married. But as they say, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, and what could be riskier and more exciting than an affair. Heather couldn't resist. Before long, what was supposed to be a summer fling quickly turned into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. One, we're getting caught, meant losing everything. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on.

Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon, and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy, and this is my first. murder true crime stories, a crime house original powered by Pave Studios that releases every Tuesday and Thursday. Crime House is made possible by you. Follow murder, true crime stories, and subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple Podcasts for ad-free early access to each two-part series. And if you can't get enough true crime, go search and follow Crime House Daily. Our team's twice a day show bringing you breaking cases, updates,

and unbelievable stories from the world of crime that are happening right now. This is the first of two episodes on the 2013 disappearance of 20-year-old Heather Elvis in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Today, I'll introduce you to Heather and explain how she crossed paths with her older co-worker, a 37-year-old man named Sidney Moore. At first, Sydney assured Heather that he was in an open, marriage. But eventually, it became clear that Sydney wasn't telling the whole truth, and Heather was the one who would suffer the consequences. Next time, I'll explain what happened

when Sidney's wife learned about his affair with Heather and the explosive criminal investigation that followed. All that and more coming up. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. Break through the busiest time of year with the brand new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus, powered by Peloton IQ. With real-time guidance and endless ways to move, you can personalize your workouts and train with confidence, helping you reach your goals in less time. Let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push, and go. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus at OnePeloton.ca. When you think about resort destinations, South Carolina probably doesn't spring to mind.

But Myrtle Beach is closer than Tahiti, cheaper than flying to Hawaii, and has the same white sand beaches in turquoise waters. There's a well-known boardwalk, golf courses, water parks, and an endless variety of nightlife to choose from. When they say there's something for everyone, they mean it, which is why around 20 million visitors flock to the area every summer but minutes away from the famous boardwalk life looks very different here you'll find small suburbs with tight-knit communities instead of chain restaurants there are charming brick buildings with vintage striped awnings and rather than bars there are bookstores and boutiques in this Myrtle beach people know their neighbors and have for years life moves more slowly, and everything feels safe and familiar. Sokestis, South Carolina is one of these suburbs.

It's also where Heather Elvis was born in June of 1993. Her parents, Terry and Debbie Elvis, already had a son, 10-year-old Christopher, and were thrilled to finally welcome a baby girl. Four years later, they had a second daughter who they named Morgan. Despite their age differences. All three Elvis siblings were close growing up, but Heather and Morgan shared a special bond as sisters. They were creative kids, both loved a color, but Heather was more likely to draw outside the lines. That artsy wild child grew into a free-spirited young woman. She liked to take pictures, which she'd post to Twitter and later to Instagram, but she wasn't just taking selfies and candids. It seemed Heather was staging her own photo shoots,

complete with fashionable outfits, hair, and makeup. It was all pretty professional, and Heather looked comfortable in front of the camera. To her, the pictures were expressing her creativity and practice for her future career. Heather had big dreams. She wanted to break out of a small town life in Sokastie and become a makeup artist or a fashion designer. And it wasn't just talk. She put in the work, taking classes to get her cosmetic. license while she was still in high school. She also got a part-time job and quickly discovered that

she really liked the independence it gave her. Although her parents had paid for her car, Heather could use her paycheck to fill her own tank, which meant she could cruise around with her friends as much as she wanted to. Terry and Debbie were watchful and involved parents, but they didn't micromanage. Heather was nearing adulthood, so it was time to start trusting her to make her own decisions. Plus, in a small town like Sacoste, they figured there wasn't much trouble she could get into. However, they did what they could to stop their teen daughter from growing up too fast,

like enforcing a curfew and keeping her room clean. That was a serious challenge for Heather, who seemed to thrive in chaos, and it wasn't long until she was craving even more freedom. By 2011, Heather was 18 and about to graduate high school. Unlike most of her classmates, Heather didn't plan on going to college, but that didn't mean she wanted to keep living at her parents' house forever. So later that year, she moved out and headed to the closest equivalent of a big city, Myrtle Beach.

It might have only been eight miles from the home she'd always known, but it was also a whole new world. Just like that, she was free to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, which she immediately took advantage of. Soon after moving out, Heather got two large tattoos, a compass on her left forearm, and a tribal turtle that reached from her left hip to just below her ribs. She also started going out at night, drinking and partying with friends, but all of that cost money. Heather's parents continued to pay for Heather's car insurance and cell phone bill, but other than that, she was on her own. So Heather needed a good-paying job.

Though she had her cosmetology license, jobs in the industry were hard to come by for someone without much experience, so in the meantime, a friend got Heather a job as a hostess at a sports bar called the Tilted Kilt. The Kilt, as locals called it, was basically a Scottish-themed Hooters. There was a full bar in the menu that had everything you could want, as long as you wanted wings or burgers. The walls were covered in memorabilia and TVs displaying all the major sporting events,

and of course the majority of the customer-facing staff were scantily-clad young women. It might not have been Heather's dream job, but she was good at it, and she was just as popular with the customers as she was with her coworkers. Heather was all about having fun, whether that meant dancing on tables or saying outrageous things. Her sense of humor was a little off the wall. Unlike most young adults, Heather was impulsive and unpredictable. No one could really guess what she might say or do next. And she wasn't shy about voicing her opinions either. If she found someone attractive, she was going to. to say so, which is exactly what happened when she spotted the new maintenance man at the

kilt in the summer of 2013. Sydney Moorer was 37 years old. Heather was 19, but the age gap didn't bother her. If anything, it only made him more intriguing. Like Heather, Sidney was well liked at the kilt. He had long, dark hair that framed his bright blue eyes, and he was always happy and joking around, his constant expression, a wide grin. But no one knew much about Sidney's life outside of work. He only came to the restaurant when something needed fixing and didn't linger after his shift was over. This piqued Heather's curiosity. She was determined to find out more about this mystery man. Her first opportunity came a couple months later in June 2013.

The Tilted Kilt had purchased a box at nearby Pelican's ballpark and made it available to all their employees. At the baseball game, Heather hit it off with one of the servers named Brianna Wurlman. They'd worked together for a while, but never really hung out. But that night, they really clicked. And after the game, Heather and Bree went back to the kilt for food and drinks. Heather spotted Sidney and told Bree she had a crush on him. Well, Bree didn't understand what she saw on him.

In fact, she got nothing but bad vibes from Sidney. He struck her as manipulative, the type of guy who changed who he was to get what he wanted. Not to mention, he seemed sleazy, but Heather couldn't keep her eyes off him, so Bree played nice when she waved him over to the table. The chemistry between Heather and Sydney was immediate. They leaned in close, finding opportunities to... to touch each other. It was getting late by then, so Bree decided to call it quits for the night. But Heather said she was going to stay and hang out a while longer with Sidney.

We don't know if anything happened between them that night, but we know they got hot and heavy very quickly after. Pretty soon, Heather and Sydney were inseparable and constantly all over each other, even on the back patio at the restaurant. But what started as a fun summer fling began to turn into something more. Sidney started showing up at the kilt during the day, always to see Heather, and usually with a coffee or some other kind of treat. Even Bree had to admit it was kind of cute.

Heather lit up whenever Sidney was around. Her friends had never seen her so smitten with a guy before. And from the way Sidney looked at her, it was obvious that he'd devised. feelings for Heather too. They were never official, but everyone at the kilt knew they were an item and not everyone approved. Some of the waitresses thought their age difference was a huge red flag. Sidney was pushing 40 but Heather had only turned 20 about a month into their relationship. But it wasn't just the 17-year age gap that made their relationship taboo. It was the fact that

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a major quality In the summer of 2013, 19-year-old Heather Elvis fell for her much older co-worker, 37-year-old Sydney Moorer. Heather knew he was married, but beyond that, Sydney's life was a mystery. And we don't know a lot either. However, it is clear that he was born about 100 miles south of Myrtle Beach in Somerville, South Carolina, and that when he was 21 years old in 1997, he moved to Myrtle Beach to find work. He cobbled together handyman gigs at restaurants and clubs. He was out doing one of those jobs when he met 25-year-old Tammy Kaysen.

She was a local girl, born and raised in Ory County, where Myrtle Beach is located. The pair struck up a conversation and hit it off. The rest, as they say, was history. Within a year of meeting, Tammy and Sydney were married, and soon they welcomed their first child. Tammy's parents owned a large swath of land and gifted the new family a home on their property. But it wasn't just a gesture of goodwill. The Kaysans like to stay close. The compound was located in the less populated area of Sarkas D, where Heather had grown up.

Sitting on the dead end of a country road, it didn't get to. get much more isolated, and that was how the Kasins liked it. Their family had lived in Ory County for generations and kept to themselves. Now that Sidney was part of their family, it looked like he was expected to do the same, which might have been why Sidney's family back in Somerville pretty much stopped hearing from him once he moved onto the Kasen's compound. But it doesn't seem like that bothered Sidney, He continued to work nights and eventually turned his collection of odd jobs into a business called Palmetto Maintenance LLC.

Meanwhile, Tammy worked from home as a travel agent. Things seemed to be going well for the moorers, and around 2001, they expanded their family, welcoming a daughter. After their third child was born four years later, Tammy transitioned to working part-time so she could homeschool all three kids. But while Tammy wasn't the breadwinner, she was definitely calling the shots. People said Tammy was the type of person who thought she was the smartest one in every room. And that attitude extended to her home.

She decided what they did and when. And she kept a particularly tight leash on Sydney. She may have had good reason. Sydney had already had one affair. And in the fall of 2013, Tammy learned he was having another with 20-year-old Heather Elvis. We don't know exactly how Tammy found out, but once she did, all hell broke loose. Sometime in late October, Heather was working at the Tilted Kilt when her cell phone started ringing. She didn't recognize the number, so she ignored it.

But whoever it was, called back again. And again. and again. Finally, Heather got fed up and answered. It was Tammy Mooreer. When Heather heard that her stomach dropped, Sidney had told her that he and Tammy had an open marriage. He even said that Tammy had a boyfriend, so his and Heather's relationship was no big deal. But when she heard Tammy's voice on the phone, Heather realized he might have been bending the truth. Being screamed at by Tammy was bad enough. But then Sidney got on the line.

He didn't just break up with her. He crushed her. Sidney said their affair had just been about sex. Heather had never mattered to Sydney in any real way. After the emotional beatdown and finally ended, Heather was devastated and confused. She loved Sydney and she'd thought, he'd loved her too she tried to put the conversation out of her mind but she couldn't move past it she

needed answers so a few days later she tried to contact sydney again around midnight on november 2nd heather sent sydney a text all it said was his name soon after her phone started malfunctioning meaning she didn't see his response which might have been for the best When Heather finally got her phone working again the next morning, she saw a barrage of hostile messages from Sidney's number. Things like rapid fire insults, curses, and even a threat to beat her up. Heather had been blindsided by the breakup, but this was a new low. She never imagined that Sydney would treat her this way, unless it wasn't Sydney. Heather's phone began to ring as more and more texts appeared.

By this point, Heather was certain that Tammy had taken Sidney's cell phone and was the one sending all those awful messages. She wasn't about to pick up the phone and let Tammy berate her even further. But each call she ignored only seemed to make Tammy angrier. A string of text messages appeared on Heather's phone. Tammy claims she'd been having Sydney, followed she said she was going to find heather no matter what but if heather called her back now that would be her best chance to save herself heather refused over text she tried to act tough

like the threats weren't getting to her but in reality she was terrified of tammy Heather had no idea what the older woman was capable of, and she did not want to find out. And yet, it seems Heather couldn't help but seek answers from Sidney. She sent him a text the next night, asking, So when does Sidney get his phone back? This time, Sydney was the one to respond. But all he would say was that they couldn't talk. He'd made a mistake and loved his family.

Heather pressed him about Tammy's harassment, saying she was scared. Sidney dismissed her feelings, telling her it was fine. He reiterated that Tammy had a boyfriend and that she was only mad because he had lied. Sidney told Heather, she doesn't care about you. Except that Tammy clearly did care about Heather, enough to keep calling and texting from her phone as well as Sidney's. Tammy even escalated to sending explicit pictures of Sydney and herself as if to taunt Heather. For someone who supposedly didn't care, Tammy was relentless. As the days and weeks wore on, Heather became a shell of her former self.

No longer fearless and adventurous, she was paranoid all the time. She was constantly looking over her shoulders as if Tammy might appear at any moment. all she wanted was for it all to stop. And then suddenly, it did. No more calls, no more texts. Finally, it seemed Tammy was done with Heather. What Heather didn't know was that the Moors had left on a family vacation to Disneyland in California. They just purchased a brand new 2014 F-150 pickup truck.

and decided to drive it across the country. They were gone for three weeks. In that time, Heather finally started to recover. By November 2013, she'd moved in with her co-worker Bree, who'd become one of her closest friends. And come December, she seemed like her old self again. The bubbly, carefree Heather was back, determined to put all the drama behind her and move on.

But just when it seemed like the storm was finally settling, Another cloud appeared on the horizon. Heather noticed she felt off, like maybe she was getting sick. At first, she chalked it up to the stress of the last few weeks, but then her uniform started to feel tight. A nagging thought popped up in the back of Heather's mind. Could she be pregnant? Some cases fade from headlines.

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Are you ready to be dealt in? Listen to the deck now wherever you get your podcasts. In December of 2013, 20-year-old Heather Elvis had just been through a nasty breakup. Her ex, 37-year-old Sidney Moore, and his wife, 41-year-old Tammy Moore, had made her life hell for the better part of a month. Then, just when everything seemed to be getting back to normal, Heather began to wonder if she might be pregnant. She hadn't slept with anyone besides Sydney in the last few months,

so she knew it had to be his baby. She took a pregnancy test in the bathroom at the Tilted Kilt. Unfortunately, it came back with an error message. It could have been because the results were inconclusive or because Heather hadn't used it correctly. Either way, Heather decided not to take another one. Maybe she wasn't ready to know the truth. That was probably because she was desperate to turn over anew.

leaf, one that would hopefully take her far from Sydney and the Kilt. On Tuesday, December 17th, Heather interviewed for a position as a makeup artist at a local salon. Before she'd even left the building, they offered her the gig. Heather was ecstatic. She was finally pursuing her real dreams. And her career wasn't the only fresh start in her life. Heather had a date that night. She'd been chatting with a guy over Instagram for a few days.

His name was Stephen Chiraldi. They'd known each other in high school, but never really spent time together. He was taking her out to dinner. After everything with Sydney, Heather was surprised by how excited she was to be going on a first date. Maybe this time, she hoped, things would be different. On her way home to get ready, Heather stopped by her parents' house to pick up some of her mail. Heather told her mom, Debbie, about the makeup artist job. Debbie knew how much this meant to Heather and could tell she was thrilled.

Around 7 o'clock that night, Stephen picked Heather up at her apartment. He drove them to downtown Myrtle Beach, where they'd have plenty of options for dinner. In the end, they decided on a Mexican restaurant. It was on a street right next to the beach, so the ambiance was perfect for a date. Plus, there was hardly anyone else there. it seemed they'd missed the dinner rush. Their conversation flowed easily. Stephen and Heather only stopped chatting so they could enjoy their food.

Since they'd both grown up in the area, they had a lot in common. During dinner, Heather told Stephen about how her dad had tried to teach her to drive a stick shift. It hadn't gone well, and she laughed as she remembered his frustration. Stephen replied that his truck was a manual and offered to teach her. They could even do it right then and there after dinner. Heather agreed. After all, there was nothing more romantic than a driving lesson. After dinner, they went to Inlet Square Mall, a few miles south of the beachfront.

It was about 10.30 p.m., and the mall was closed, so the large parking lot was empty. Plenty of space for Heather to practice. She got after a rough start, grinding gears and stalling the engine. But eventually, with Stephen's help, she figured it out. She even had Stephen take a picture of her in the driver's seat to send to her dad. After the driving lesson, Stephen invited Heather back to his place to watch a movie. She wasn't ready for the night to end, so she said yes. He actually still lived with his mom, but Heather didn't care. They went to Stephen's room and cozied up to watch the film with

the door open. When it ended, Stephen drove Heather back home. She invited him inside, and gave him a quick tour of her apartment. As he left, he asked if they could go out again. Heather smiled and said she'd like that. Then they shared a brief kiss. As far as first dates went, it was pretty successful. For the first time, in a while, Heather was excited about the future.

When her phone rang a little while later, she thought maybe it was Stephen calling. But then she realized it was a number she didn't recognize. So she let it go to voicemail. Her phone immediately started ringing again. It was the same number. This time, Heather answered. The familiar voice on the other end almost knocked the wind out of her.

It was Sydney. It had been weeks since they last spoke, and she hadn't expected to hear from him ever again. She hadn't thought there was anything left to say, and yet here he was contacting her at nearly one in the morning. Sidney seemed frantic. He said he just left Tammy and was calling from a payphone. He promised that he didn't mean any of those horrible things he'd said back in October.

He insisted that Tammy had forced him to say all that, but now he'd come to his senses. He told Heather that he was in love with her. She was the one he wanted to be with. Now, he was asking her to meet up so they could talk in person. Heather's mind reeled. He was saying everything she'd wanted to hear, but he'd also broken her hearts and let Tammy put her through hell.

Heather told Sidney she needed to think about it and hung up. only she couldn't think straight. Her emotions were completely mixed up. So Heather called the one person who might be able to help her sort through everything. Her close friend and roommate, Bree Worrellman. That night, Bree was back home in Florida visiting her family for the holidays,

but even though it was nearly two in the morning, she picked up Heather's call. Bree could tell Heather was distraught. Between sobs, Heather told Bree that Sidney called her. He wanted to see her. Bree's reaction was quick. She told Heather not to listen to Sidney,

reminding her that she couldn't trust anything he said. He'd already broken her heart once. As far as Bree was concerned, he didn't deserve a second chance. But Heather was conflicted. When Bree told Heather, she should sleep on it. They could talk about it more tomorrow when she was more level-headed. Heather said she would try. After hanging up with Bree, Heather tried to calm down.

Part of her knew that Bree was right. It was a bad idea to talk to Sydney again, let alone meet up with him in the middle of the night. But no matter how she argued with herself, she just couldn't let it go. Around 3.30 a.m. Heather called Sidney back on his cell phone. At first, he didn't pick up. She panicked, worried that she'd missed her chance. She called again.

After a few tries, he finally answered. They agreed to meet at the Peach Tree boat landing, a rural spot on the Waukaw River at the far edge of town. Heather grabbed the keys to her green Dodge Intrepid and headed out into the South Carolina night. She would never come back. And for the next few years, as police searched, lawyers argued,

and juries deliberated, one question would dominate every headline in Myrtle Beach. Where was Heather Elvis? Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy, and this is Murder, True Crime Stories. Come back next week for part two of Heather Elvis's story and all the people it affected. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support.

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series, you'll get access to both at once, plus exciting bonus content. We'll be back on Thursday. Murder True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy, and is a crime house original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team, Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benadon, Natalie Pertsovsky, Sarah Camp, Megan Hannam, Molly Quinlan Artwick, Honeyas Saeed, Russell Nash, and Spencer Howard. Thank you for listening. Looking for your next crimehouse, listen, don't miss Crimes of with Sabrina DeAnna Roga and Corinne Vien. Crimes of is a weekly series that explores a new theme each season, from Crimes of the paranormal, Unsolved Murders, Mysterious Disappearances, and

War. Their first season is Crimes of Infamy, the true stories behind Hollywood's most iconic horror villains, and coming up next is Crimes of Paranormal, real-life cases where the line between the living and dead gets seriously blurry. Listen to Crimes of every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you.