Teen's killer didn't act alone

Web posted Wednesday, January 24, 2001

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By Greg Rickabaugh
South Carolina Bureau

Jessica Carpenter: 17-year-old was found cut and strangled Aug. 4 in her home. FILE

AIKEN - Jessica Carpenter might have been killed by more than one person, according to a new theory being investigated by Aiken police.

Assistant Solicitor Bill Weeks said Tuesday that fingerprints found in the Carpenter house do not match those of Tonnie Nathaniel Baldwin, the man identified as the killer by a jail-house informant and the suspect charged Monday in the Oct. 6 killing of a local college student.

Last week, DNA testing failed to connect Mr. Baldwin to semen found at the Carpenter crime scene.

Asked whether he still believed Mr. Baldwin was involved, Mr. Weeks said he did but ``I think it's entirely possible he might not have been alone.''

That could account for the mysterious fingerprints found in the home. Police have ruled out that the prints were left by friends or family but they also know the prints didn't come from Mr. Baldwin.

``We haven't been able to put Baldwin at the house yet through forensics,'' Mr. Weeks said. ``(But) a million people were convicted before there was forensics.

``We're still talking to folks.''

The naked body of 17-year-old Jessica was discovered by her mother Aug. 4 in her Crosland Park home, where the high school senior had been cut and strangled. The presence of semen suggests she was also raped, but police will not discuss that angle of the case.

•Tests fail to tie man to killing  •Judge grants bond to slaying suspect  •Suspect has other charges  •Killer is in jail, informant says  •Police update Carpenter-case sketch  •Teen slaying case stays open  •Reward for killer is offered  •Aiken investigators turn to FBI  •Police show sketch of teen wanted for questioning  •Parents take pride in teen's legacy  •Man on camera sought  •Police create profile of teen-ager's killer  •Teen's death hits close to home  •Community says goodbye to teen  •Police seek motive for teen killing  •Friends mourn 17-year-old's death

This month, Craig Gantt, an inmate in prison on a parole violation told Aiken police that Mr. Baldwin confessed to raping and killing the girl. Mr. Gantt told authorities the confession was made while Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Gantt were driving around smoking marijuana on the night of the killing. Mr. Weeks said the informant is reliable because he told police information that was not publicly known about the killing.

Mr. Baldwin will not be able to leave the Aiken County Detention Center, where he has been held since his Oct. 29 arrest in connection with a sexual assault and robbery at a local hotel. A judge denied him bond Monday after he was charged with murder in the slaying of Jason Bernard Cook, a freshman from the University of South Carolina Aiken who was shot dead on a dirt driveway on Horseshoe Bend Road.

Also charged in that killing is 23-year-old Ivory Kirkland Jr., known to friends as ``Black,'' according to court records. He has been in jail since last year, serving time for a parole violation.

Meanwhile, new details emerged Tuesday about how investigators developed leads in the Cook slaying.

``From what I understand, we got some calls on the Crime Stoppers line from some local people who knew of some people's involvement,'' Mr. Weeks said. ``That led police to talking to folks and led on a trail back to Mr. Baldwin (and) Mr. Kirkland.''

Mr. Weeks said there was another person present with Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Kirkland when the victim was killed. The unidentified eyewitness told police who committed the crimes, Mr. Weeks said.

``(The person) was there but wasn't aware that (the killing) was going to happen,'' the assistant solicitor said. ``The name will ultimately come out, but it won't be now.''

Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (803) 648-1395.

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