Slaying reward growing

Killing of Sam's Club manager remains under investigation while officials at Wal-Mart plan vigil

Web posted June 25, 1998

By Meghan Gourley
Staff Writer

Urging anyone to come forward with information about a Father's Day slaying of a Sam's Club manager, the store's parent company upped its reward for an arrest to $100,000 on Wednesday.

Wal-Mart had been offering $25,000 for information in the death of David Holt, 45, of Cayce, S.C., whose body was found burned beyond recognition in the trunk of his car Sunday morning in North Augusta.

State and local investigators from Richmond and Aiken counties as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation still remain tightlipped about details of their investigation, but added they are continuing to interview employees and former employees of Sam's Club off Bobby Jones Expressway.

Richmond County sheriff's Chief Deputy Ronald Strength would not say Sam's Club employees are the focus of the investigation, but he has said whoever killed Mr. Holt knew the store well.

After locking the store and setting the burglar alarm Saturday night about midnight, Mr. Holt left the store, but then returned nearly 1 1/2 hours later and the alarm was deactivated and the store robbed.

There was no evidence of a break-in and the surveillance videos in the store were stolen, the chief deputy said.

Calls continue to pour into law enforcement agencies in both Georgia and South Carolina and Wal-Mart officials hope the larger reward will prompt even more information.

``We are absolutely outraged by this crime that has taken place,'' said Charlie Waggoner, director of operations for Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart is holding a candlelight vigil in Mr. Holt's memory at 9 p.m. today in the Sam's Club parking lot. The public is invited to attend.

Mr. Waggoner also said an education trust fund has been set up for Mr. Holt's two sons, Christopher, 14, and Adam, 12. Donations can be made at any NationsBank.