Man charged after Phelon killings

Web posted October 16, 1997

By Kathy Steele
South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN -- There was no question Arthur Hastings Wise wasn't going to be home four days after his Sept. 15 arrest in connection with the shooting deaths of four employees at R.E. Phelon Co.

His name, face and address were everywhere: in newspapers and on TV.

On Sept. 19, neighbors called 911 to report a burglary in progress at Mr. Wise's vacant Verdery Street apartment in North Augusta.

Edward Bibbs Jr. was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary after an Aiken County deputy found him lying on the ground below a window outside Mr. Wise's apartment.

Asked what he was doing there, police said, Mr. /Bibbs, 27, told them he was relieving himself.

Police found two watches in Mr. Bibbs' left front pocket and a remote control in his right rear pocket, which they believe were taken from Mr. Wise's apartment, according to an incident report filed at the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

Mr. Bibbs' case is on the docket for the two-week court term of Aiken County General Sessions Court, which began Monday.

Court records show that Mr. Bibbs was out on $30,000 bond after his arrest Aug. 1 in connection with a break-in at a Lake Shore Drive residence. He is charged with burglary and grand larceny in that case, records show.

Mr. Wise, 43, is accused of walking into the Phelon plant at about 3 p.m. Sept. 15 and firing a handgun at workers who were preparing to change shifts. He had been fired from the plant several months earlier.

Sheryl Wood, 27, David Moore, 30, Leonard Filyaw, 30, and Charles Griffeth, 56, were killed. Three other employees, Lt. Stan Vance, 49, John Mucha, 60, and Jerry Corley, 44, were wounded.

Mr. Wise is charged with four counts of murder, three counts of assault and battery with intent to kill, seven counts of possession of a pistol while committing a violent crime and second-degree burglary for unlawful entry. His bond on all but the murder charge is $535,000.

A bond hearing on the murder charges hasn't been set.