Deputy managing editor for investigations at The Post and Courier in Charleston, SC. Semi-reformed crime reporter, hiker, guitar player, beer snob.
Articles by Glenn Smith
Fort Mill man exonerated in sex-crime probe says Nancy Mace’s allegations upended his life Original
CHARLESTON — The phone message arrived as Brian Musgrave was driving to a hardware store to pick up some birdseed. A Wall Street Journal reporter wanted to know his reaction to U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace accusing him and three other men of sex crimes in a speech scheduled for that night. The married father of two said he had no idea what the reporter was talking about. His first instinct that day in February 2025 was that it was a spam call.
SLED investigation found little to support several of Nancy Mace’s claims of sexual misconduct Original
CHARLESTON — State investigators found insufficient evidence to support several allegations of sex crimes that U.S. Rep Nancy Mace leveled against her former fiancé and three other men in her dramatic 2025 congressional speech, documents show. State Law Enforcement Division agents charged three of the men on Oct. 14 in connection with the alleged sexual assault of an inebriated woman on Sullivan’s Island in 2018.
SC prosecutor says ‘zero evidence’ supports Nancy Mace allegation against 4th man in sex crime claim
CHARLESTON — The state prosecutor overseeing a sex-crime case against three men U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace accused of being predators said “not a scintilla of evidence” exists to support the congresswoman’s allegations against a fourth man she implicated.
Lambos, diamonds, Birkins and $5,000 meals: Feds detail big spending by alleged Allen U scammer Original
A Florida developer accused of defrauding Allen University in an alleged stadium construction scheme is accused of blowing hundreds of thousands of dollars on exotic cars, lavish meals, luxury rentals and diamond-encrusted jewelry, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal prosecutors laid out several examples of Lamonica “Monti” Valrie’s “exorbitant” spending in a Sept. 21 motion seeking to limit his expenditures while he is out on bond on wire fraud and money laundering charges.
James Island's Eugene Frazier leaves legacy as pioneering lawman, author and 'culture keeper' Original
Eugene “Son” Frazier Sr. fought crime and broke down racial barriers in a Charleston County law enforcement career that spanned more than two decades. He then found a new mission to protect and serve his community as a noted author, historian and preservationist — a "culture keeper,” as his friends like to say. Frazier, who left a lasting mark on his native James Island, died Aug. 5. He was 90. He was widely known for his work documenting and preserving the history of the island and its people.
Once deemed a 'chamber of horrors,' SC prisons make strides in caring for mentally ill inmates
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Once deemed a 'chamber of horrors,' SC prisons make strides in caring for mentally ill inmates
COLUMBIA — The cinderblock walls inside this prison psychiatric unit brim with bright colors, painted butterflies and messages of hope left in elegant scroll. “Always believe in yourself,” one sign reads. “Get out! Stay out! Succeed!” trumpets another. “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations,” says a third. The buoyant aphorisms at Kirkland Correctional Institution might easily be dismissed as a cheery veneer masking the reality of lives confined by steel doors and razor wire.
New Mexico panel releases subpoena for SC records on Jeffrey Epstein investigations
New Mexico officials have released copies of subpoenas issued to federal prosecutors in South Carolina and two other states about investigations into the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But the documents shed little light on what specific lines of inquiry they are pursuing in the Palmetto State. New Mexico's "Truth Commission" on Epstein is seeking a variety of records from U.S. Attorney’s Offices in South Carolina, Florida, Michigan and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Panel denies plan for public reprimands for 8 Mount Pleasant police officers in cheating scandal
COLUMBIA — A plan to issue public reprimands for eight Mount Pleasant police officers implicated in a cheating scandal failed June 15 after the state’s governing council for law enforcement expressed uneasiness with the move. The eight were among 11 officers who parted ways with the police department in January after the town revealed they had been accused of cheating on a South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy test.
Mount Pleasant man faces kidnapping, assault charges for detaining taunting e-biker, police say
MOUNT PLEASANT — A town resident faces kidnapping and aggravated assault charges after he told police he tackled and detained a minor on an e-bike who had been taunting him along with other juveniles, authorities said. Officers took Chad Robert Larsen, 50, into custody after being called to a Planters Curve home shortly before 3 p.m. June 1. He was taken to the Charleston County jail, police said. Larsen told police the youths had been “ding dong ditching” his home about two weeks ago.
Alex Murdaugh files civil rights lawsuit against former court clerk in his double murder trial
COLUMBIA — Accused killer Alex Murdaugh is suing Rebecca “Becky” Hill, claiming the former Colleton County clerk of court tipped the scales of justice for personal gain by making prejudicial comments to jurors in his 2023 double-murder trial. “When he testified, the jury was programmed not to believe him by the clerk of court,” Murdaugh attorney Jim Griffin said May 18 at a press conference in Columbia.
Charleston jail population reached 10-year high in 2025 even as crime fell, new report shows. Why?
NORTH CHARLESTON — More people were jailed in Charleston County in 2025 than in any of the previous 10 years, despite the fact that crime in the area has been dropping in nearly every category, a new report shows. Not only did the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center house more people on average each day — about 1,270 defendants — but many inmates had longer visits in 2025, according to a report the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council released this week.
Grim toll of suffering, deaths mounts amid mental health crisis in SC jails
part 1 • part 2 • part 3 • part 4 • part 5 PART 3 Grim toll of suffering, deaths mounts amid mental health crisis in SC jails Lt. Melissa Last checks on inmates in the Behavioral Management Unit at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center on Wednesday Sept. 10, 2025, in North Charleston. Lt. Melissa Last checks on inmates in the Behavioral Management Unit at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center on Wednesday Sept. 10, 2025, in North Charleston.
SC’s history of failures, missed chances leaves mentally ill desperate for care. How’d we get here?
part 1 • part 2 • part 3 • part 4 • part 5 PART 4 SC’s history of failures, missed chances leaves mentally ill desperate for care. How’d we get here? An inmate stands at the door of a secure unit at the Aiken County jail on July 21, 2025. An inmate stands at the door of a secure unit at the Aiken County jail on July 21, 2025. South Carolina lawmakers thought they had a solution. Mentally ill inmates needed treatment to help them stand trial, but a state hospital lacked room.
Hellish conditions, damaging delays and uncertain justice fuel mental health crisis in SC jails
Hundreds of mentally ill people are languishing for months in South Carolina jails, deprived of needed treatment in a legal purgatory that feeds a cycle of incarceration, despair and avoidable deaths, a Post and Courier investigation has found. Too sick to stand trial, these defendants remain stuck between slow-moving courts and an overloaded psychiatric system. They end up trapped in county jails ill-equipped to care for them.
SC’s history of failures, missed chances leaves mentally ill desperate for care. How’d we get here?
part 1 • part 2 • part 3 • part 4 • part 5 PART 4 SC’s history of failures, missed chances leaves mentally ill desperate for care. How’d we get here? An inmate stands at the door of a secure unit at the Aiken County jail on July 21, 2025. An inmate stands at the door of a secure unit at the Aiken County jail on July 21, 2025. South Carolina lawmakers thought they had a solution. Mentally ill inmates needed treatment to help them stand trial, but a state hospital lacked room.
Bob McCaffrey, husband of missing Charleston woman, arrested in New Jersey cold-case killing
Robert McCaffrey, who became a central suspect in the 2012 disappearance of his wife Gayle in West Ashley, has been arrested in connection with a cold-case slaying of another woman in New Jersey, according to multiple media reports. Members of a law enforcement task force reportedly took McCaffrey, 54, into custody April 10 at his home in Manteo, N.C., an island town near the Outer Banks. Detention records show he was still being held April 12 at the Dare County jail in North Carolina.
Hurricane Helene nearly washed away Chimney Rock. 1 year later, it's still trying to recover.
CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. – Rose Senehi made her way along the gravel path to a spot where three wicker rocking chairs perched on a jagged bluff above the Rocky Broad River. The 87-year-old author has spent more than two decades living in this folksy village, penning novels set in the rugged foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. But the landscape that greeted her this afternoon seemed as alien as it was familiar.
Charleston entrepreneur Eric Bowman surrenders to police, faces domestic violence charge
SULLIVAN’S ISLAND — Charleston entrepreneur Eric Bowman has been charged with first-degree criminal domestic violence in connection with a 2016 incident involving his estranged wife. Bowman, 45, turned himself in to Sullivan's Island police on Aug. 20 and was booked into the Charleston County jail on the felony charge. Earlier this year in a House floor speech, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace accused Bowman and three other men, including her ex-fiancé, of being sexual predators.
Ex-Williamsburg County supervisor accused of COVID fund fraud faces additional misconduct charges
Former Williamsburg County Supervisor Tiffany Cooks faces additional corruption charges after the State Grand Jury handed down a new 16-count indictment, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson announced May 8. The new indictments allege that Cooks had government money steered to her through payments for participation in "community projects," Wilson's office stated in a written release.
Table Rock burned in 2016 during devastating span of SC wildfires. Conditions on cusp of a repeat.
PICKENS — As the ravenous Table Rock Fire continues to swell and feed off the parched landscape, conditions remain ripe for more wildfires throughout the region already burning towards a record that left thousands of acres torched in the Carolinas nearly a decade ago. The conflagration has doubled in size daily over the last three days, growing to engulf about 8,600 acres — or more than 80 percent of the 2016 blaze that is the largest mountain fire in South Carolina history.
Helene's impact on Carolina mountain wildfires as much about access as fuel for flames
Hurricane Helene barreled across Florida's Gulf coast before tearing a path through Georgia and swaths of the western Carolinas, including the Upstate, in late September. The deadly and devastating impacts of historic flooding was coupled with an unimaginable number of fallen trees — which in places included entire mountainsides. Of the thousands of trees that fell across several states, hundreds in the Upstate destroyed homes, blocked roads and knocked out power to 1 million people.
Wildfires burn across Carolinas as season peaks. What's ahead as Helene's impact comes into focus?
Sean Phouksouvath’s wife burst through the front door as he brushed his teeth before a Saturday night shift at his family's hibachi restaurant. “Sean, come outside," she yelled as ash rained on their yard in Carolina Forest, a fire-prone suburb between Myrtle Beach and Conway. A dark cloud rose above the pines across the street. They heard sirens. And police soon gave them 45 minutes to evacuate.
How did 3 North Charleston council members end up charged in a public corruption case?
When North Charleston leaders first floated the idea of paying nonprofits to help curb shootings in neighborhoods long besieged by crime, Councilman Jerome Heyward pledged to act. “Let’s move fast because the community need us more than they ever did,” he said at a May 2022 town hall. Behind the scenes, however, federal prosecutors allege Heyward was formulating a plan to pocket some of that taxpayer money for himself. In a wide-ranging public corruption case unsealed Feb.
Timeline details half-century history and problems of Dockside condos, Charleston's tallest building
The half-century history of the Dockside condominium tower in downtown Charleston reached another seminal moment with the urgent order for residents to vacate. City officials came close to such a call two years ago. This time, further details and a deeper understanding of dangerous structural issues in the 18-story building forced the issue. An engineering firm hired by residents said "the safety margin is too low" for residents to remain.
3 North Charleston City Councilmen are facing corruption charges. Who are they and how did they get here?
Nearly a third of North Charleston's City Council is facing federal corruption charges after the FBI swept into the state's third largest city with allegations of influence-peddling, extortion and bribery. The three leaders are among eight people caught up in a case that could change the complexion of the city's government and affect its reputation for years to come. Four of those charged are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Charleston to enter guilty pleas in the case on Feb. 28.
3 North Charleston City Councilmen are facing corruption charges. Who are they and how did they get here?
Nearly a third of North Charleston's City Council is facing federal corruption charges after the FBI swept into the state's third largest city with allegations of influence-peddling, extortion and bribery. The three leaders are among eight people caught up in a case that could change the complexion of the city's government and affect its reputation for years to come. Four of those charged are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Charleston to enter guilty pleas in the case on Feb. 28.
North Charleston City Councilman Jerome Heyward charged in FBI corruption investigation
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What a horse farm in Aiken, South Carolina tells us about international money laundering
UNCOVERED A SC town has an unusual history as a magnet for rich horse lovers. What secrets does it hold? The Post and Courier's partners in this project include John Dell’Osso from the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa, The Aiken Standard, Houston Chronicle and Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. 1. Whispers and horses Twenty-three years ago, a middle-aged man from Nigeria traveled to Aiken to buy a horse farm. He’d arrived unannounced to close the deal.
What a horse farm in Aiken, South Carolina tells us about international money laundering
UNCOVERED An SC town has an unusual history as a magnet for rich horse lovers. What secrets does it hold? The Post and Courier's partners in this project include John Dell’Osso from the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa, The Aiken Standard, Houston Chronicle and Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. 1. Whispers and horses Twenty-three years ago, a middle-aged man from Nigeria traveled to Aiken to buy a horse farm. He’d arrived unannounced to close the deal.
Here's what we know about the 4 men accused of sexual assault in Rep. Nancy Mace speech
Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace took aim at her former fiancé and three of his business associates in a withering speech on the House floor Feb. 10, branding the quartet of entrepreneurs as "predators" who allegedly engaged in a range of sexual misconduct. All of the men have issued statements denying the accusations.
America's 'Chicken Coup'
It brings me little pleasure to refer to MuskTrump apologists as chickens willing to sacrifice the nation and their own-self respect out of fear that they’ll be spanked and told to write “I’ve been a bad” a thousand times on a Capitol blackboard. Still, it must be done. Perhaps MuskTrump’s facilitators can find comfort in the fact that the very first time the word ‘chicken’ was used as a synonym for ‘coward’ it was a barb aimed at the Bard, William Shakespeare.
Helene was the worst storm to slam the Carolinas in a generation. Here's how it unfolded.
1. Shock The southern Appalachians once were as tall as the Rockies and Alps, but the weathering forces of time softened the land into what it is today, a rumpled quilt of peaks and valleys, green in summer and tinted orange and yellow in the fall. Shrouded often in fog, these mountains are a Goldilocks rain forest, not too hot, not too cold.
Helene was the worst storm to slam the Carolinas in a generation. Here's how it unfolded.
1. Shock The southern Appalachians once were as tall as the Rockies and Alps, but the weathering forces of time softened the land into what it is today, a rumpled quilt of peaks and valleys, green in summer and tinted orange and yellow in the fall. Shrouded often in fog, these mountains are a Goldilocks rain forest, not too hot, not too cold.
SC islanders cry foul over large oyster farm planned by former state worker on rural creek
LITTLE BRITTON ISLAND — Susan Woollen has lived in several spots over the past six decades, but time and again she has returned to the secluded island that has been in her family for a century. It’s a place of solitude and splendor, where dolphins feed along mudflats lined with green sawgrass and eagles soar above gnarled oaks draped in veils of Spanish moss. Generations of her family have come together here on the waters of Tom Point Creek in southern Charleston County.
Kiowa County RE-1 Superintendent encourages adherence to attendance policy
Dear Parents and Guardians, As this school year is underway, I wanted to update everyone on our attendance policy. Regular school attendance is linked to the success of each student, and classroom interaction and learning experiences are an essential part of the learning process. Frequent tardies and absences can quickly interfere with student progress. However, we do understand that students will occasionally miss school due to illness, appointments, or other activities.
Allen University board member calls for investigation of Waverly Project money handling
COLUMBIA — An Allen University board of trustees member is calling for an independent investigation into the school’s financial management of an ambitious building project amid a barrage of anonymous complaints and calls for the resignation of Allen’s president, Ernest McNealey.
MUSC to buy Roper Hospital's downtown Charleston campus. Here's what we know.
Watchdog/Public Service Editor Glenn Smith is editor of the Watchdog and Public Service team and helped write the newspaper’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation, “Till Death Do Us Part.” Reach him securely on Signal at 843-607-0809 or by email at gsmith5@protonmail.com.
How Debby coulld enter SC's hurricane history books
Tropical storm Debby is heading toward South Carolina laden with rain bombs that forecasters say will unleash a massive amount of water and disruption. Past storms offer insights into what we might expect. In 2015, tropical systems converged over the Charleston area, dumping 23 inches over peninsular Charleston alone. That's roughly equivalent to 3.2 billion gallons, or what normally flows over Niagara Falls in an hour.
Allen McGrew, 41, Dies After Placing Lit Firework on Head at Fourth of July Party
By James Paul and Jennifer Bent jpaul@postandcourier.com; jbent@postandcourier.com 11 hrs ago Allen McGrew, 41, was killed July 4 when a firework exploded on top of his head in Summerville. Provided. SUMMERVILLE — Wearing an Uncle Sam star-spangled suit and a top hat to match, Allen Ray McGrew danced around in the front yard as he smoked a cigarette on July 4th — his favorite holiday of the year. A line of smoldering firework mortars lined the edge of the street behind him.
Charleston honors 9 firefighters who died in historic Sofa Super Store inferno
Seventeen years ago on June 18, a small trash fire swelled into a raging inferno that ripped through the Sofa Super Store in West Ashley, killing nine men and carving an indelible scar in Charleston’s heart. The fire leapt from a loading dock and snaked through the sprawling showroom, feeding on furniture as it grew into a massive cauldron of flames. Black smoke soon choked the air and swallowed all light. Nine Charleston firefighters were trapped inside when the roof came crashing down.
Memorial service planned in Summerville for slain General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor
A memorial service is planned in Summerville for native son Johnny Wactor as authorities in Los Angeles continue to hunt for the thieves who fatally shot the former General Hospital actor during a catalytic converter heist. The service is set for June 15 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Summerville Baptist Church, 417 Central Ave. The service will be open to the public, a Parks Funeral Home representative told The Post and Courier.
'Pill Messiah' subject of grand jury probe into offshore accounts, PPP loan and taxes
Medical entrepreneur Douglas Smith has been named in a federal grand jury investigation looking into offshore accounts, tax issues and a loan tied to his telemedicine company that treats opioid dependence. The criminal probe surrounding the Bupe.me founder is the latest sign of trouble for the nonprofit treatment company.
Former SC fugitive heads out of state again. What led to killer's travel this time?
Convicted killer Jeroid Price, who became the subject of a fugitive manhunt last year after his controversial early release from a South Carolina prison, has been moved to an out-of-state correctional facility for undisclosed reasons, according to S.C. prison officials.
Paleontologist Robert Boessenecker charged in fossil theft
A former College of Charleston paleontologist and his wife surrendered to campus police March 26 in connection with the theft of rare fossils that vanished from the school's Mace Brown Museum, authorities said. Robert Boessenecker, 38, faces a charge of grand larceny between $2,000 and $10,000, according to the Charleston County jail website. He was booked into the detention center shortly after 9 a.m. He is scheduled to have a bond hearing later in the day.
Paleontologist Robert Boessenecker charged in fossil theft
A former College of Charleston paleontologist and his wife surrendered to campus police March 26 in connection with the theft of rare fossils that vanished from the school's Mace Brown Museum, authorities said. Robert Boessenecker, 38, faces a charge of grand larceny between $2,000 and $10,000, according to the Charleston County jail website. He was booked into the detention center shortly after 9 a.m. He has since been released on $2,500 bail, jail records show.
Influential SC Republican political consultant Richard Quinn passes away
Richard Quinn Sr., a kingmaking political consultant who played a role in multiple Republican campaigns from John McCain to Lindsey Graham, but whose public downfall was tied to a headline-grabbing Statehouse corruption scandal, has died. A cause was not immediately available, but his March 21 death was confirmed by Bill Stern, chairman of the South Carolina Ports Board of Directors, who called himself fortunate to been counted among Quinn's friends.
Scandals, costly settlements cast shadow over Sullivan's Island government, police
SULLIVAN’S ISLAND — This upscale barrier island touts its pristine beaches, fine dining and close-knit community. But behind the scenes, allegations of sexual harassment and boorish behavior have roiled the town’s government in embarrassing and costly ways. The latest scandal led to Police Chief Chris Griffin’s resignation last month after he allegedly made sexually charged comments, discriminated against female officers and spied on their movements.
Sexual harassment claims preceded exit of Sullivan's Island police chief
SULLIVAN'S ISLAND — Former Police Chief Chris Griffin resigned last month in the wake of allegations that he made sexually inappropriate comments, discriminated against female officers and made them uncomfortable with his actions, according to newly released documents. Town Council accepted Griffin's resignation as the island's top cop on Feb. 20 and approved a $10,000 payout for him on his way out the door.
Sexual harassment claims preceded exit of Sullivan's Island police chief
SULLIVAN'S ISLAND — Former Police Chief Chris Griffin resigned last month in the wake of allegations he made sexually inappropriate comments, discriminated against female officers and made them uncomfortable with his actions, according to newly released documents. Town Council accepted Griffin's resignation as the island's top cop on Feb. 20 and approved a $10,000 payout for him on his way out the door.
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