The Misery Machine - The Crimes of Todd Kohlhepp
Episode Date: October 16, 2025It started with a missing couple, and ended with a discovery so disturbing it shocked even seasoned investigators. When police traced a cell phone signal to a remote property in South Carolina, they f...ound a woman chained inside a shipping container. Her name was Kala Brown… and her rescue would unravel the horrifying double life of Todd Kohlhepp, a successful real estate agent who was secretly a serial killer. Today, we’re diving into the twisted case of the man who hid his murders behind a smiling sales pitch.Support Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachinePayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachineJoin Our Facebook Group: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1Instagram: miserymachinepodcastTwitter: misery_podcastDiscord: https://discord.gg/kCCzjZM#themiserymachine #podcast #truecrimeSource Materials:Sources are available upon request due to the fact that we had so many of them that it exceeded the amount of characters that Spotify allows.
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Todd Colette was born on March 7, 1971 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to parents William Sampsel and Regina Reggie Tague.
Just two years after Todd's birth, his parents...
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A year later, Reggie remarried Carl Kohlhepp, who would legally adopt Todd.
From the very beginning, Todd's relationship with his stepfather was Rocky.
He longed to live with William, who at the time had relocated to Arizona.
Todd showed troubling signs of instability.
Reggie would later admit that he displayed.
emotional and behavioral problems as early as 15 months old. By the age of four, those issues had
escalated. He became aggressive toward other children in nursery school and would often destroy their
belongings. Reports also show that Todd once smashed his newly remodeled bedroom with a hammer,
wrecked a stereo he'd been given, and had even shredded his brand new clothes. That destructive
behavior carried on through childhood and adolescence and spilled into group activities. He was
eventually dismissed from the Boy Scouts for being disruptive.
Reggie was unable to contain her son's destructive and violent outburst. In 1980, when Todd
was just nine years old, he was referred to the Behavior Evaluation Center at the Georgia Mental
Health Institute for an evaluation. He stayed there for three and a half months and it was there
that clinicians diagnosed him with ADHD. They also noted low motivation, poor self-esteem,
and anti-social personality characteristics. Records also mentioned that he was a
to himself and experienced hallucinatory episodes.
One report read,
behaviorally, he is demanding, self-centered,
and likely attempts to force others to do what he wants
in order to meet his own needs.
These evaluations also raise the possibility
of oppositional defiant disorder, or ODD for short.
This is a childhood behavioral disorder
characterized by persistent irritability,
defiance, and hostility towards authority figures.
In Todd's case,
ODD likely explained his frequent aggression,
destructive tendencies and difficulty respecting teachers, scout leaders, or integrating with his peers.
Despite these issues, however, the reports also noted that Todd was intelligent,
with later evaluations showing that he had an above-average IQ of 118.
But behavioral complexities weren't the only concerns raised during his evaluations.
Reports also noted that Todd developed an unusual preoccupation with adult content at a very early age.
Even more alarming was his cruelty towards animals, often carried out.
in shockingly inhumane ways.
One report noted that he poured Clorox into a goldfish bowl after his mother refused to get him a gerbil,
and another documented that he once shot a dog with a BB gun.
A neighbor also reported that Todd once locked her son in a dog kennel cage, rolled him over
until her son was crying and then laughed as he watched.
Poor documents from Arizona also show that Todd once threatened to kill his own mother
because she refused to let him live with his father.
Nevertheless, in 1982, Reggie and Carl split up, and at 12 years old, after not seeing his father
for nearly eight years, Todd was finally allowed to live with him in Tempe, Arizona.
William was allegedly a former Special Forces soldier, mercenary, an arms dealer.
Todd was fascinated by his knowledge in firearms and explosives.
He felt a genuine connection with William, something he never had with his stepfather, Carl.
But the bond quickly soured as William would be able to be.
was often preoccupied with his romantic pursuits and was rarely present for his son.
Before long, Todd realized he harbored hatred toward both men, his real father William and his stepfather,
Carl. Todd decided to return to his mother, but by then, Reggie didn't want him back and made
excuses to extend Todd's day with William. On November 25th, 1986, when Todd was just 15 years old,
he committed his first recorded crime. His victim was a 14-year-old neighbor named Christy Grimmie.
Renato. According to court documents, Todd used his father's 22-caliber revolver to threaten her and
force her back to his home. Once inside, he restrained her, taped her mouth shut, and assaulted her.
Todd then walked the girl back to her home, but not before threatening to kill her family
if she ever told anyone what had happened to her. Despite his threats, Chrissy confided in her
parents who immediately contacted authorities. Todd was arrested and formally charged with kidnapping,
essay and committing a dangerous crime against a minor. During questioning, Todd gave conflicting
explanations for his actions. He said that he wasn't sure why he assaulted Christy,
but speculated it might have been an act of rebellion because his father was out of town.
For into William, he was away at the time on a business trip to Nebraska and had enlisted
the help of a friend to check on his son. Todd also admitted that he initially used his father's
revolver to threaten her but claimed that the gun didn't work, saying he later switched to a night
after putting the gun back.
When Todd was asked how he thought his crime had affected the victim,
his response was chillingly self-centered.
He said, I have messed myself up too.
Poor documents further reveal that Todd showed little genuine remorse.
In a report recommending that Todd betrayed as adult in his sentence,
one neighbor even described him as a devil on a chain.
Meanwhile, Todd attempted to rationalize his actions.
He claimed he believed the girl was 16 at the time
and confessed he was frustrated with her because she had a crush on his friend,
but only wanted a platonic relationship with him.
Todd even reported that he had a clean record,
and the only trouble he had been in was for buying a stolen bike.
Fact, a teacher at his high school reported poor academic performance,
but no significant behavioral problems.
The consequences for the victim and her family were devastating.
Christy cried throughout most of her interview and was barely able to speak.
Her parents noted that her grades in her athletic involvement
suffered significantly in the aftermath.
Christy's parents accused Todd of being a violent and vicious person who knowingly terrorized their daughter.
According to their account, Todd held a knife to her face during the assault and was fully aware of her age
and demonstrated what they described as no sense of reality.
However, Reggie claimed that her son was not a bad boy.
She highlighted the fact that Todd had walked Christy home afterward, asking,
does that sound like a dangerous criminal?
Still, when Todd had previously asked,
to return to her care, she had refused to take him back.
She also admitted that although Todd claimed that he knew his actions were wrong,
that he only did so to evade a sentence.
William told an officer that the only emotion his son was capable of showing was anger.
On March 27, 1987, Todd underwent a psychological evaluation that offered further insight
into his troubled state of mind. The report described his outlook on himself as overwhelmingly negative.
repeatedly asked, why do I do things like this and confess that he saw himself as a bad person.
He admitted feeling remorse, not out of empathy for others, but because he feared his own capacity to hurt people.
Evaluation also showed that Todd's favorite hobby was collecting weapons, something he had adopted from William, who even taught him how to blow things up and make bombs.
Todd was also diagnosed with borderline personality.
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Disorder or BPD for short, which can include unstable self-image, difficulty control,
emotions, volatile relationships, and impulsive, or reckless behavior.
It often begins in early adulthood, and adverse life offense can play a role in its development.
Although the disorder itself is considered incurable, its symptoms can still be managed with
various psychotherapies and medication.
It was recommended that Todd needed confrontation over and over again regarding his aggressive
behavior.
Report suggested juvenile detention and placement in an aggressive offenders program.
However, not everyone felt this way.
According to a juvenile probation officer that was involved with Todd's case, it is highly unlikely that a problem that has existed since he was approximately 15 months of age can be cured in less than three years of treatment.
It's part of a plea bargain, Todd pled guilty to kidnapping and all of his other charges were dropped.
Even with the plea deal, however, his name was added to the registry.
On January 19, 1987, Judge C. Kimball Rose decided that Todd be sentenced as an adult and described him as behaviorly and emotional.
emotionally dangerous. Todd was eventually sentenced to 15 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
In transferring the case to adult court, Judge Rose remarked,
approximately six years of intervention in 15 years of life have resulted in abysmal failure.
Judge Rose also noted that Todd is very bright and should be advanced academically,
but is behaviorally and emotionally dangerous and likely could not be rehabilitated.
Probation officer also shared a similar description saying that Todd felt the world owed him something.
But nobody was happy with the plea deal and the sentence, not Todd and not the probation officers.
Todd argued that a 15-year sentence was unfair, saying he wanted a sentence of 12 years or less so that
he might still have the chance to pursue a military career.
The probation officers, however, were frustrated for a very different reason.
To them, the plea deal was far too lenient, describing it as a travesty of justice.
Deputy P.O. Kim Otto went even further, stating it would appear that his behavior has been progressively
worsening and now it has escalated to the point where he has sexually assaulted an innocent child,
one can only speculate as to where the defendant's behavior will lead. It is this writer's opinion
that it is this type of individual, one with little or no conscious, who presents the greatest
risk to the community. In October of 1987, Todd entered the Arizona prison system to begin serving
his sentence. At that point, no one wanted to take responsibility for him, not his mother, not his stepfather,
not even his biological father.
But Todd's mom would later write that the incident had brought her and her son closer together
as Todd wrote to her regularly from jail.
She said, you know, it's strange.
Maybe a little good does come from some bad.
During his first years of incarceration, Todd racked up seven violations,
yet for the following decade, his record was clean.
It was as if Todd had learned to restructure his life,
or at least give the impression that he had.
By the time he was released in August of 2001, Todd had already earned his GED in a bachelor's degree in computer science from Central Arizona College.
Just after release, he relocated to South Carolina to live near his mother.
Soon after, Todd began rebuilding his life on the outside.
From January of 2002 to November of 2003, he worked as a graphic designer for seven sons and company in Spartansburg.
That same year, he enrolled at Greenville-Taylor.
technical college. A year later in 2004, he transferred to the University of South Carolina upstate.
On March 25th, 2006, Todd got a private pilot's license. Next month, he applied to take the South
Carolina real estate exam, but he was required to explain why he was convicted of kidnapping in Arizona
nearly two decades earlier. Todd got his real estate license on June 30th, 2006, three weeks after applying.
He finished his degree in 2007 with a Bachelor's of Science and Business Administration and Marketing.
By now, Todd had already distinguished himself in real estate.
The 2008 news article named him as one of Reischert Realtors top-selling rookie agents for a region spanning both parts of the Carolinas.
2009, Todd started his own real estate firm, Todd Colhap and Associates, or TCA for short,
which he ran out of his more South Carolina home.
Business was booming, so much so.
that by May of 2014, Todd bought a 95-acre track near Woodruff. TKA's website listed over a dozen
agents, but also featured an unusual sales pitch, which read, we threatened not to feed them if it
didn't work. It's amazing the motivation you can get after day three. Todd himself also built a
strange reputation in the workplace. Colleagues would often see him watching adult videos, making
dark jokes in marketing literature and openly discussing that he was a registered offender.
Lawrence Shorts, a mortgage banker who worked with Todd said he was the kind of type
double A hair on fire kind of guy. You felt that if he wanted to take you out, he could take you
out easily. He used to walk in his office and he had adult videos going on. Lawrence also described
that Todd would make ominous comments about having trouble sleeping and knowing where people live.
He also reported that Todd had expensive cars with records showing two BMWs and a motorcycle in his name.
Since Todd worked from home, Lawrence would occasionally stop by to exchange documents.
Yet despite all the red flags, Todd maintained a reputation as a capable professional.
Danielle Cuddy, owner of the Velocity Design Group, who collaborated with him professionally,
wrote in an email, Todd did his job well, and we never had any issue.
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The user saw any flags in the years we worked with him.
Todd's neighbor, Scott Waldrop,
recalled how Todd would casually brag about chasing trespass
off his rural property with an arsenal of weapons, complete with silencers and night vision gear.
Todd met Scott soon after he bought his 95-acre property in 2014.
He reported that Todd had installed deer cameras, bear traps, and a chain-link fence to keep people out.
Scott said, to me, he didn't seem like no threat.
We'd just shoot the bull.
I didn't know all this stuff.
Nobody knew.
On paper, Todd's record remained spotless for decades, but all of that was about to change.
On August 31st, 2016, 30-year-old Kayla Brown and her 32-year-old boyfriend, Charles Carver, suddenly vanished.
The two had met through Kayla's mother and had been dating for a few months before moving in together.
Excited about building their future, they started looking for extra work to make ends meet.
Kayla knew Todd through one of her ex-boyfriends and remembered he often had jobs available.
When she reached out, Todd offered her work cleaning houses tied to his real estate list.
Kala was thrilled. Soon after, he sweetened the deal by offering a job for both her and Charles,
clearing brush on his 95-acre property just eight miles from his residence.
It sounded like an opportunity too good to pass up, but when the couple arrived that day,
things took a sinister turn. Todd asked them to wait outside while he retrieved a few things
from his garage. What Kayla and Charles didn't know was that within moments, their lives would be
shattered. Todd had lured them into a trap. In the days that followed, Kayla and Charles's family and
friends quickly grew concerned. Charles's mother, Joanne Schifflett, hadn't heard from her son in days.
Kayla's close friend Leah Miller was the last person known to have spoken with her. August 30th,
Leah had called Kayla, who mentioned that she was in Greenville and was on her way home.
Following day, Leah received a short text from Kayla that read, Are you awake? When Leah replied a few
hours later, she never got a response from her.
Between late August and early September, Charles and Kayla's cell phones ping near Todd's residence,
but at the time, no legal action was taken, and authorities remained completely unaware of what
really happened to the couple.
September 3rd, Charles' mother filed a missing person's report with the Anderson Police Department.
She explained that she had been unable to reach either her son or his girlfriend, Kayla.
She also mentioned that the couple's apartment manager had checked their unit and said that it
looked as though nobody had been living there for weeks.
The time, Charles was also in the middle of divorce proceedings with his estranged wife, Nicole Ellen Carver.
Two days later on September 5th, Leah also filed the missing person's report.
He informed police that Kayla owned a Chevy Colbolt, which was still parked outside the Anderson apartment complex where she had been living.
When officers checked the unit, they found no signs of a struggle.
However, Kayla's beloved Pomeranian Romeo had been left alone in the apartment without food.
Kayla's mother, Bobby Newsom, said in an interview, that dog is her baby.
she'd never leave him like that.
But Kayla's Chevy Colbolt was still parked at the apartment complex,
Charles's white 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix was missing.
Between early September and late October,
strange activity began surfacing on Charles's Facebook account.
He shared that he and Kayla are fine and were happily married.
His profile of picture was also changed,
but the posts were out of character for Charles.
Weeks had passed without any direct contact
and Charles had never been particularly active on Facebook.
The sudden stream of updates on his account was deep,
suspicious. Families quickly concluded that someone else was behind the post. Joanne mentioned
in an interview, it's getting people thinking they are found, but they are not. Meanwhile,
detectives with the Anderson Police Department continued following leads but kept running into
dead ends. Lieutenant Mike Aiken said, we tracked down the leads we had, but there isn't very much.
We just want to make sure they're okay, because it has been some time. Flyers featuring the missing
couple were distributed widely across Anderson, and Facebook groups were created to raise awareness
and gather information. Kayla was described as 5'8, weighing 135 pounds with reddish brown hair and
green eyes. Meanwhile, Charles was listed as 511, weighing roughly 180 pounds with brown hair and blue
eyes. Even though both Joanne and Bobby were optimistic about finding their children alive,
the truth waiting to unfold was far more disturbing than anyone could have ever imagined.
On November 3, 2016, investigators from the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office arrived at Todd's home.
They had traced the location after securing a search warrant for Kayla's social media accounts,
which revealed messages between her and Charles about a job on Todd's property.
With this lead, authorities obtained warrants not only for Todd's residence,
but also for a sprawling 95-acre property.
While Todd was being questioned, investigators were simultaneously searching his property under a separate warrant,
something he was unaware of.
What they discovered there was nothing.
short of chilling. Inside the garage, deputies found shackles. In nearby bathroom, they spotted
clumps of reddish-brown hair on the floor, similar to Kayla's. But the most shocking discovery
was yet to come. As investigators continued their search, they heard faint, desperate banging
noises coming from a large shipping container on the property. The container was sealed shut with
five heavy-duty padlocks. Officers rushed to force open the container. Have no fear. Chosen
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Watch out.
Y'all move.
I got it.
Watch out.
Hey, Joey.
Joey.
Cheers, Sheriff's office.
Inside, Kayla Brown was found chained up, restrained by her neck and ankles.
Grab that.
Back up, everybody.
Are you okay?
Great boy.
Go.
Do you have any weapon?
Okay.
What's your name?
What's your name?
My dear?
Lauren.
Got you.
All right.
Just the girl.
Just a girl.
How are you, honey?
This is our best.
He's a paramedics.
Okay.
We're gonna get you out of there, okay?
Just hang loose for them.
Anybody got a, I need a handcuff key.
Handcuff key.
I don't have it right here.
Hold up.
Don't slide back.
He's got a light.
We've got a lot.
Brany, let me see you light.
You can put your hands down.
You're okay.
You're okay.
Yep.
Sit bank on or off.
Light on or off.
Get on.
We'll get the rest of it here.
Let's get her out of here.
We're getting bolt cutters, honey.
Don't, don't, don't.
You got pictures of the cups?
No, hold them.
Bolt cutters.
Is both feet?
Let me sit.
It's attached to a chain,
and my next attach to the wall up here.
Okay.
All right.
All right, we'll get you out from there, okay?
You got a handbook here.
I got none of them.
One's in my corner.
I've got none of my car.
Do you know where I get that?
Bult cutter.
Just hit the...
Do you know where your buddy is?
Charlie?
Yes.
He shot him.
Who did?
Dush.
Todd Cole Hep shot Charlie Carver, three times in the chest,
wrapped him in a blue tarp, put him in the bucket of the tractor,
locked me down here and I never seen him again.
He says he's dead and buried.
He says there's several bodies dead and buried out here,
and he says that the dogs are being ruined if they go looking because there's redfever.
We're going to step you out somewhere.
Because there's what?
Red pepper.
Okay.
Tell the dull people that.
He said there's pepper everywhere around the car.
He parked at the ravine.
Kayla had endured nearly two months in brutal captivity, but despite the trauma,
she immediately spoke with the authorities.
She recounted the day she and Charles went missing.
They arrived at Todd's property, she noticed he was in an unusual mood,
completely different from how he acted before.
For either of them could react, Todd pulled out a pistol.
He shot Charles three times in the chest right in front of her, killing him instantly.
And he restrained Kayla and dragged her into the shipping container that would become her prison.
She was kept chained by the neck, wrists, and ankles confined in darkness nearly all day.
Todd allowed her out for only narrow windows of time between 1 and 3 p.m.
again from 5 to 7.
He would take her into the garage and force her to endure repeated assaults from him.
Later interview with Dr. Phil, Kayla said,
he seemed infatuated. I don't think he wanted to kill me. You let me know that I was his property
and that I'd never go anywhere, that he chose me. During the interview, Kayla said that Todd told her
she was beautiful and smart and explained to her Stockholm syndrome, condition that causes hostages
to develop loyalty, sympathy, or affection for their captors. She said, he told me that it would kick
in and we would be happy together. Kail also stated that she'd always miss Charles, but would get past
what happened to her.
said, he tried to crush me, but I'm not broken. Vescators also found Charles's white potty at Grand Prix.
They'd been crudely spray-painted and buried under debris, as though Todd wanted to hide it.
Sergeant would later claim that Todd committed these crimes purely for attention to be in the spotlight,
and sure enough, he would be.
At this stage, the case against Todd was undeniable.
Not long after being taken into custody, Todd made a deal with the police to give them closure
on more victims if they would let him contact his mother and transfer funds to a friend's account.
They agreed, and Todd led the police to yet another grim discovery on his land.
Buried in a shallow grave were the bodies of 29-year-old Johnny Joe Coxie and his wife,
26-year-old Megan Lee McCraaw, Coxie. Charles's body was also recovered.
Johnny and Megan had been missing since December of 2015.
According to reports, Johnny had been killed on December 19.
after suffering a gunshot wound to his chest.
Megan, however, was kept alive for six days
before finally being shot in the head on Christmas Day.
The pattern here was disturbingly familiar.
Just like with Charles and Kayla,
the man was killed early on
while the woman was restrained and controlled.
Later reports revealed that Johnny and Megan
had only been just released from prison.
They were struggling to get by,
often panhandling, and their baby had tested positives or substances.
With all of this in mind, it seemed clear that Todd deliberately preyed on those who are vulnerable.
What's even more chilling is that Todd openly confessed to how he killed the couple.
Land of Ip kid supplies and got it down to my building.
And that's when Johnny pulled a knife out.
And you shot?
I shot.
Okay. And you shot her?
Not exactly.
In his post-arrest interview, Todd repeatedly attempted to justify his actions.
He first claimed that he pulled a gun on Johnny because he believed he was about to be robbed.
When discussing Megan, he insisted that he hadn't wanted to kill her, but framed himself as being trapped in a dilemma.
Throughout, Todd seemed more concerned with the consequences he faced rather than the lives he had taken.
At one point, Todd even recounted that he made Megan a $4,000 offer to clean his houses.
However, he complained that she repeatedly damaged equipment while confined in the container,
which he ultimately used as justification for killing her.
Authorities would later dig into Todd's internet activity, and what they uncovered was
downright mind-boggling. Most of the equipment he used to murder and imprison his victims
have been purchased on Amazon through an account titled Me.
But the darkest part wasn't just what he'd bought. It was what he wrote.
Todd left public reviews on some of these items, casually joking about their use and
scenarios straight out of a nightmare. For example, on a chainsaw, he wrote, works excellent.
Getting the neighbor to stand still while you chase them with it is hard enough without having an
easy-to-use chainsaw. On one master padlock, Todd commented, solid locks, have five on a shipping
container, won't stop them, but sure will slow them down till they are too old to care.
Keep in mind that the container used to restrain Kayla was shut with five of these heavy padlocks.
Another Master Padlock review reads,
Now My Locks Have Locks, Places Hotel California now.
This appears to be a reference to the Eagles song
where you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.
Disturbingly, Todd had posted the same lyrics earlier
on Charles's Facebook account.
Another review, this time for a folding shovel, read,
Keep in Car for when you have to hide the bodies
and you left the full-size shovel at home,
does not come with a midget, which would have been nice.
And on another product that appeared to be a knife grip, he wrote,
It's Blacker than My Soul and Priced Right.
Similarly, on a blade listed by the SOG brand, Todd wrote,
Haven't stabbed anyone yet, yet, but I am keeping the dream alive.
When I do, it will be with a quality tool like this.
These reviews weren't hidden in some dark web forum.
They were posted out in the open on Amazon between May 15th, 2014 and August 24th, 2016,
while Todd was carrying out these horrific crimes.
Some of the items he commented on were later removed from the site.
For example, the folding shovel was no longer listed,
nor was the rubber-handled five-inch knife from the same brand.
Still, Amazon did not take any immediate action at the time.
To be fair, many disturbing reviews online are written as dark humor or trolling,
and people often don't take these seriously.
But this is an example, such as in Todd's case,
where these reviews weren't jokes.
A Carver family also faced another painful blow when Charles's estranged
to take advantage of the tragedy by starting a fundraiser seeking money in connection
with his death.
Family who referred to Charles by his middle name David quickly addressed and condemn this
behavior in a post which read, it has been brought to the family's attention that Nicole
Nunes has started a fundraiser asking for money in regards to David's death.
These do not donate to this fundraiser.
David and Nicole were in the process of a divorce.
She will not be paying for any expenses related to David's death.
His family will incur all of those costs.
If you'd like to donate, please donate to the fundraiser that has been posted below.
Thank you.
It should be noted that Nicole was accused of pretending to be Anderson Police Detective Charlene Ezel,
a lead investigator on the case to try to get AT&T to tell her where Charles's cell phone last pinged.
Allegedly, she identified herself as Detective Charles Etzel.
Charles' official GoFundMe campaign raised $2,635 U.S. dollars to assist with his funeral arrangements.
He was laid to rest during a memorial service held on November 19, 2016 at the North Anderson Baptist Church,
officiated by Reverend Bill Rigsby and Reverend Roger Kendrick.
Following the service, Charles was cremated.
Johnny and Megan were also cremated that same month.
Remembrance event was held for Johnny in November, though no public details have surfaced regarding a similar memorial for Megan.
Nevertheless, it's clear that Todd prayed on vulnerable individuals,
relished and outsmarting them, and derive satisfaction from inflicting.
prolonged trauma. It aligned perfectly with his narcissistic personality. During her rescue,
Kayla also disclosed to investigators the existence of a woman named Holly, with whom Todd allegedly
maintained a relationship for nearly a decade. Todd himself later confirmed this in interviews.
Some reports even suggested that Holly unknowingly paid for the very storage container in which
Kayla was held captive, unaware of its intended use. While Holly appeared to have no knowledge of
Todd's double life, she loved him for what he appeared to be. She gave Todd a lot of attention
and made him feel important. Despite this, Kayla revealed something that would blow everyone's mind,
that Todd was planning to kill Holly. Thankfully, this plan never came to fruition as Todd was
already in federal custody by that time. Still, the case was far from complete. Todd went on to
confess to a quadruple homicide that it remained unsolved for over a decade.
Details were chilling as he boasted about carrying out the four murders in less than 30 seconds showing no remorse whatsoever.
I cleared it under 30 seconds.
You would know I cleared that no under 30 seconds.
You guys would have been proud.
He admitted to the killings in exchange for the opportunity to reconnect with his mother.
The incident dated back to November 6, 2003 at the Superbike Motorsports motorcycle shop in Chesney, South Carolina.
The victims were Scott Ponder, the shop's owner, his mother, Beverly Guy,
and employees Brian Lucas and Chris Sherbert.
They were all gunned down in a matter of seconds.
Todd explained that he had previously purchased the 2003 Suzuki GSX R750 from the shop,
but quickly realized it was a poor choice for a beginner.
Bike was too much for him to handle,
and when he tried to return it or trade it in,
claim the employees treated him rudely.
A few weeks later, the bike was stolen and Todd convinced himself that the shop was responsible,
so he wanted to take revenge.
Todd got his hands on a Beretta 92FS 9mm handgun and visited the store.
He waited until there was no one around but the employees.
He pretended to be interested in buying a bike and asked 26-year-old mechanic Chris Sherbert to take it to the back and prepare it.
Todd followed him shortly after.
He drew his weapon and fired two to three rounds into Chris's chest, later referring to them as lung shots.
After killing Chris, Todd returned to the front of the store where the remaining employees began reacting to the sound of gunfire.
Todd quickly opened fire at 52-year-old Beverly Guy, the shop's bookkeeper, and the mother of the owner,
hitting her several times in the chest.
The chaos sent the other two men running.
29-year-old service manager Brian Lucas was gunned down from behind, while 30-year-old Scott Ponder, the store's owner,
was the last to be shot in the parking lot with a bullet to the head.
All this brutality, just because he had a vague suspicion that the shop was responsible for the theft of his motorcycle
and because he held grudges against the owner and several employees.
Todd's name appeared among 15 individuals highlighted from a list of 400 customers given to the police,
yet he was never directly questioned due to insufficient evidence.
The four victims were laid to rest by their grieving families.
Scott's service was held on Monday, November 10, 2003, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
in Boiling Springs after a visitation at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel.
He was later buried at Greenlawn Memorial Garden in Spartansburg.
Beverly's service was held on the same day at the same location, conducted by Bishop Robert Grudzean.
She was likewise buried at Greenland Memorial Gardens.
Brian was laid to rest at Frederick Memorial Gardens in Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina.
Chris, the youngest victim at 26, was buried at Heritage Memorial Gardens in Roboc, South Carolina.
The aftermath of the Superbite tragedy brought even more anguish the victim's families,
largely due to the serious missteps by investigators.
At the time of his murder, Scott was happily married to a woman named Melissa Ponder,
who was pregnant with their child.
She later gave birth to a son named Scott Jr. in honor of his father.
Instead of receiving comfort, Melissa was confronted with shocking accusations.
Law enforcement extracted DNA from Melissa's infant son's diaper
and alleged that the child's biological father was not Scott,
but Brian Lucas, one of the employees, killed alongside him.
This claim devastated Melissa.
She described how this intense scrutiny made her question her own reality.
Even considering herself a suspect in her husband's murder after being confronted with false test results,
she recalled, their focus was so intent on me.
However, it was later brought to light that there had been a mix-up in the DNA testing process,
which led the investigators to a false result.
In truth, Scott was indeed the father of his wife's child.
Loved ones have long argued that this error
diverted investigators' attention from the actual case,
causing it to go cold for 13 years.
During a court hearing in July of 2019,
Melissa addressed Todd directly.
With all of this being said,
I want to formally apologize to you, Mr. Calhap.
for whatever Scott or Brian said to you or did to you while you were doing business with that.
That made you feel less of a person or mad.
I'm sorry that you felt deceived or even felt they weren't being business-like during your transaction.
I know my late husband.
And I know he would want me to apologize to you for this.
I hope with the time that you have left and the circumstances of where you are,
that you can come to an understanding that we were both created by the same person,
and yet our lives took two completely different paths.
I know he loves you as he loves me,
and that he satin by your choices, yet we're all taught to forgive.
By forgiving you, it preys me to be able to positively continue on in my life.
God willing, what is hopefully a long fulfilling life, I pray for you and all of us who have been affected by your actions.
Thank you for letting me speak.
Scott Jr. also appeared in court that same day, Anne, despite his young age, showed remarkable bravery as he addressed the man who had torn his family apart.
Mr. Hold up, even though I never met my dad or my grandmother, I do not wish you to will towards you, even though I never had the opportunity to grow up working.
with undoubted superbike motorsports.
All I didn't know, I'd forgive you.
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And I feel peace and shanginess with you.
And I truly know that my father, Scott King Padra, and my grandmother, Beverly Guy,
are proud of who I am.
And I appreciate this opportunity to be here.
Yet even as the victim's family showed courage and grace,
Todd continued to prove himself a remorseless predator.
Never once publicly apologized for his crimes or addressed the families of his
victims, and arrested and detained shortly after Kayla's rescue.
In conversations with his mother, Reggie, he claimed that there were many other victims
besides those that were known.
When his mother asked how many, his response was, you do not have enough fingers.
Todd was initially charged with four counts of murder connected to the Chesney Motorcycle
Shop killings and one count of kidnapping for the abduction of Kayla.
He was later charged with three additional counts of murder for the murders of Charles and the
Coxies, along with one additional count of kidnapping and three counts of possession
of weapons during the commission of a violent crime.
A search of his property also revealed a slew of firearms, including 9mm pistols with suppressors,
semi-automatic rifles, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Since no background checks were linked to Todd's name, authorities suspected he obtained
these weapons illegally.
Authorities also accused Todd's friend, Dustin Lawson, of purchasing firearms and silencers
on his behalf despite knowing that Todd was a convicted felon.
Dustin admitted to buying at least 12 guns and five silencers between 2012 and 2016, but
initially claimed they were for his own use.
In 2018, he pled guilty to 36 federal firearm charges and was sentenced to eight years and three
months in prison.
In questioning, Todd also admitted to having killed someone in Arizona.
In November 18, 2016, the Tempe Police Department confirmed they were reviewing his claim,
combing through decades of unsolved homicide cases.
Their focus narrowed to cases between 1983 and 1986 where Todd was living with his father
in Arizona in a brief window in 2001 after his release from prison.
Just a week later on November 25th, 2016, police in Greer, South Carolina identified him as a person of interest in a 2003 bank robbery and triple homicide at Blue Ridge Savings Bank, which had taken place six months before the Chesney shootings.
Despite the announcement, investigators found no solid connection tying him to the crime and Todd himself denied any involvement.
On December 1st, 2016, it was announced that Kayla had filed a civil lawsuit against Todd.
In it, she sought $360 million in punitive damages and $3.6 million in actual and compensatory damages to cover medical expenses, emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In August of 2018, Kayla was officially awarded $6,318,760 in actual impunitive damages.
She was also awarded $25,000 for aiding authorities in the case.
On May 26, 2017, Todd Colette pled guilty to seven counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of criminal essay.
As part of a plea deal that spared him from the death penalty, he was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.
In December of 2017, Todd sent a letter to the Spartanburg Herald Journal claiming he had additional victims who had never been discovered.
Investigators, however, found no evidence to support a statement.
In August of 2018, nearly two dozen sheriff's deputies accompanied by a cadaver dog carried out an extensive search on a property they were tipped off about.
The search took them through dense wooded areas along Interstate 26 after Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright revealed he had received a second or third-hand tip from a documentary film crew suggesting more bodies could be linked to Todd who had previously lived nearby.
Despite hours of searching, no remains were found and authorities suspended operations with no plans to resume unless more credible evidence emerges.
At the time, Todd was serving his sentence at Broad River Correctional Institution.
In August of 2020, some of Todd's personal belongings were auctioned off with the proceeds donated to the families of his victims.
Throughout this time, federal investigators also interviewed many of Todd's friends and relatives to better understand his background.
In one such interview from November of 2016, his mother, Reggie, broke down in tears, saying,
Did you come back to this for a moment?
You just described for me
seven murders that your son committed
that he told you about.
And it was all because the people were mean to him?
He had everything going for him.
It's not like you went out daily and killed somebody.
There was a lot of time between the first ones
and then the others,
which I know that doesn't mean much
to the families and I'm sorry.
He wasn't a serious.
Despite her desperate pleas
in attempts to defend her son,
Todd's actions ultimately proved her wrong.
He was every bit the monster people feared.
Just a few months later,
on April 23, 2017,
Reggie passed away from natural causes,
suffering from heart disease in COPD.
Moreover, several fake Facebook accounts
were created in Todd's name.
These, of course, proved to be
very hurtful to the victim's families.
According to Charles' father, Chuck Carver,
who could have possibly, and what do they stand to gain from it?
Because the only people that are hurting are the victim's families.
What did you gain by doing something that cruel?
This happened in 2019, but the torment didn't stop there.
Years later in 2025, the cruel cycle would repeat itself
and taught himself would play a part in it once again.
According to prison messages that were obtained through an open records request,
that he was trying to profit from his crimes.
One message he wrote, in part,
We'll get busy making the TKSKT shirt line
as I have buyers interested.
Someone was going to do them for me
with an embroidery machine.
Clarified in other messages that TKSK
stood for Todd Colheap serial killer.
Other messages show conversations
about a potential documentary
based on his crimes.
One correspondent pitched the idea
for a documentary about Todd's crimes
that he would be involved in.
Part of the message reads as follows.
What that means for all of us is book sales should go up, which for legal purposes, of course, you can't profit from, and we would never break the law.
Your merchandise sales should increase a lot, which means more money on your account.
That should lead to you getting your transfer out here.
I have a feeling that if I can make this documentary happen based on your book, that your merchandise will sell very quickly.
I'm working it hard for you, man.
Another message sent from Todd read, Make that chiching.
For the families of the victims, this revelation was dead.
devastating. Charles's father, Chuck, expressed his disgust, stating, it makes me sick to my stomach.
He's possibly cashing in on the tragedy that happened to us.
