Liberty Man Charged in Easter Weekend Pickens County Homicide

An Easter weekend murder in Pickens County has led authorities to arrest a 21 year-old man from Liberty, South Carolina. Thomas James Chapman is being held without bond in the Pickens County Jail on two counts first degree burglary, as well as charges of aggravated assault and battery, criminal first degree sexual conduct, petit larceny, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and murder. Authorities said that late Saturday night, while armed with a knife, Chapman entered the Mills Avenue home of the victim, 89 year-old Margaret Alice Karr, where he allegedly beat, strangled and sexually assaulted her before killing her, then stole an amount of money that was less than $2000, according to arrest warrants.