Courtesy Photo

These artist renderings depict the suspects in the armed robbery of the Pickens Dollar Tree store on Saturday night.

PICKENS — Pickens police are asking for the public’s help in finding two men responsible for an armed robbery at a local business on Saturday night.

According to a news release from the Pickens Police Department, two armed men robbed the Dollar Tree store at 529 A Hampton Ave. shortly before 9:30 p.m.

The men allegedly forced employees into a restroom while they forcibly removed an undisclosed amount of money and fled the scene.

Officers from the Pickens Police Department and Pickens County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene shortly thereafter to begin an investigation, and Pickens police are increasing their business patrols, the release said.

The suspects are described as black males in their early 20s. Anyone with more information on the incident is asked to call the Pickens Police Department at (864) 878-6366.

By Jeffrey Collins
Associated Press

news@upstatetoday.com

PICKENS — Mike Simpson cried as his wife was sentenced to life in prison for killing their children in their South Carolina home. He has one of the bullets fired still in his skull, but he has lost almost all his memories of his 7-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son.

A jury found Suzanna Simpson, 38, guilty of two counts of murder Thursday along with attempted murder for trying to kill her husband. Circuit Judge Brian Gibbons immediately handed down the harshest sentence he could, saying Simpson deserved it.

All the while, Mike Simpson, in a wheelchair and with almost no short-term memory, dabbed away tears. His mother told the judge he was an amazing fighter, surviving not just more than one gunshot to his head, but the unimaginable grief of losing his kids and becoming dependent on others.

“His whole family has been taken away from him,” Allison Simpson said.

The case is another example of guns and mental illness intersecting in a country that struggles with both. One month before the killings in this county of 120,000 people, the same prosecutors, defense lawyers and even psychologist were in the same courtroom. Susan Hendricks, a woman with multiple personalities, pleaded guilty but mentally ill and received a life sentence for killing her two adult sons, her ex-husband and her stepmother.

A year before the latest killings, Suzanna Simpson spent six days in the hospital for severe mental illness and her doctors urged her husband to get all of the guns out of their house for safety.

But about a year later, Simpson woke up at 4 a.m., put on a headband with a small light, worked the combination on the gun safe and ambushed her husband, and their 7-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son as they slept. She said she tried to kill herself but loaded the wrong ammunition in the gun. Simpson told a psychiatrist she thought the whole family would be reincarnated in a better world.

Simpson had little reaction after being sent away for life, mouthing “bye” to her family as she walked out of court. Psychiatrists said she is on medication to treat bipolar disorder and other conditions.

Her lawyer, John Mauldin, said in his closing statement that society must start doing better with its most vulnerable people.

“We’ve got to stop turning our back on mental illness,” Mauldin said. “We’ve got to start somewhere.”

Mauldin also was the defense lawyer for Hendricks, who prosecutors said killed her family for $700,000 in life insurance. Mauldin said Hendricks was consumed by a mental illness made worse through a childhood of abuse by both parents.

In Simpson’s case, prosecutors said there are clues that show while she was mentally ill, she knew what she was doing. She wore the headlamp and loaded the gun in the laundry room to not wake anyone up. She shot her husband first so he couldn’t save the kids. And after loading the gun right, she managed to put in the wrong ammunition when it was time to kill herself.

“She might not have been able to control herself,” prosecutor Betty Strom said. “But she knew what she was doing was wrong.”

After less than two hours of deliberations, the jury asked the judge to tell them the difference between guilty and guilty but mentally ill. The judge reread his charge.

Maudlin asked the judge to throw out the verdict since the jury showed no sign Simpson was mentally ill. Every psychiatrist who testified — four in all — said she suffered from serious illnesses that require medication. Gibbons refused.

Strom pointed out people with mental illness can still hold jobs — Simpson worked at a bank for years — and raise a family. The kids were well taken care of, their school reported.

Simpson first was diagnosed with depression in college, and her mental problems worsened after having children. Psychiatrist Jeff Smith started treating her in 2010, seeing her 34 times in three years. The last time was in February 2013, when he said she appeared in great shape and scheduled a follow up in four months. The killings happened three months later.

“In my 26 years of practice, I have never had anything surprise me as much as this case did,” Smith said.

A motive has eluded authorities. Prosecutors pointed out that she told family members her husband has said “it was over” because she couldn’t properly take care of her children. Her lawyer said Simpson was hearing voices, so no explanation is going to make sense.

Pamela Dodson/Courier

Jim Hayes poses with “Making it Grow” host Amanda McNulty after an interview at the Six Mile Farmers Market last week.

By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal

goliver@upstatetoday.com

SIX MILE — A long-running South Carolina television show dedicated primarily to gardening visited Six Mile on Thursday to interview officials behind the establishment of the local farmers market and the vendors who participate each week.

“Making it Grow,” hosted by Amanda McNulty, is a live, interactive call-in program produced by ETV and Clemson University and televised at 7 p.m. Tuesdays on ETV and 8 p.m. Wednesdays and 3:30 p.m. Saturdays on the S.C. Channel.

Rocky Nimmons/Courier

A “Making it Grow” camera films as B.J. Skelton sells produce to a customer at the Six Mile Farmers Market last Thursday.

McNulty, a former Pendleton resident known for wearing flowers in her hair, said the show airs more than 40 episodes each year and takes her to places throughout the state. Those visits not only include gardens, but also garden centers, houses and restaurants.

“Anything where people might have an interest,” McNulty said. “It’s all about the land — we find a way to make it connect.”

Six Mile Town Council member James Atkinson, one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Six Mile Farmers Market — now in its fourth season — said he has been trying to get McNulty and the show to visit since the market opened in 2013. Atkinson was all smiles Thursday afternoon as he witnessed all his hard work finally paying off.

“I think it’s super for our market being featured by Amanda McNulty and the ‘Making it Grow’ folks here,” Atkinson said. “It gives our town some good publicity and emphasizes the importance of locally grown produce. It’s been tough this year with the drought, but it’s always good when you can emphasize locally grown products.

“This is a great location for the market where people can socialize, and Jimmy Hayes, our market manager, has done a great job in growing the market.”

Atkinson said an estimated 15 vendors take part in the market each week and that this year’s offerings include more plants than the previous three years.

McNulty, who admits she doesn’t even have cable television at home, said she thinks the popularity of the show is because “people like something that’s live and has a little flavor to it.”

“We never know what people are going to ask when they call, and I truly enjoy working for the Clemson Extension Service in Sumter and showing people South Carolina — whether it’s someone’s yard or in the community,” McNulty said.

When asked what impressed her most about the Six Mile Farmers Market, McNulty said it was the top quality of produce on hand.

“Everything looks like it just came out of the garden this afternoon,” she said. “There’s a lot of quality here.”

Another thing that leaves a big impression on McNulty, both in Six Mile and her other visits throughout the state, are the people she encounters.

“It’s always the people,” McNulty said. “No one likes to deal with grumpy people. People want to have a connection with the food. You meet the people and it makes the whole thing go full circle. That’s one little thing — making the connection between the food and the people who grow it.

“I like how you can ask people how to do things. There’s a real interest in gardening, and these people are wanting to show things. They can’t wait (to explain their techniques), because that’s what gardeners do.” McNulty said she can’t believe how much the area has grown.

Rocky Nimmons/Courier

Artist Mariah Hope, above, speaks to “Making it Grow” host Amanda McNulty at the Six Mile Farmers Market last Thursday.

“It’s fun to see beautiful new buildings and see beautiful new businesses and see how wonderful the South Carolina Botanical Garden has become and how it’s recovered,” she said. “There are a variety of zones at the garden, including a coastal zone, as well as sand huts.”

McNulty is also joined on the show by Clemson Extension resource agent Terasa Lott, and featured guests include Dr. John Nelson from the University of South Carolina herbarium.

The Six Mile visit is scheduled for airing in mid-July. For more information, visit scetv.org or mig.org.

goliver@upstatetoday.com | (864) 973-6687

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KD Hawkins enlisted into the U.S. Air Force when he was 17 years old. After serving in the military for 21 1/2 years, he retired in 1972 with the rank of master sergeant.

He received his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and then was moved to Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, Calif. A few months later, he was shipped to Korea where he served in active duty. The war there ended in 1953, and a few months later he got to come back to the United States and was transferred to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. On his first furlough from there he came to Easley, and he and his wife, the former Martha Ann Cantrell, were married. Two years later, their daughter Sherrie was born on KD’s birthday.

A very devoted wife, Martha Ann and their daughter moved with KD from base to base. They have lived in Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, and Sumter and Charleston in South Carolina. While moving around the country, they met and made friends with many people and have been able to keep in touch with some of them.

Carol Baker/Courier

Although they have lived in several different states and even overseas, KD and Martha Ann Hawkins came back to their hometown as the same kind-hearted, caring people who left when they were teenagers.

Martha Ann and Sherrie went with KD when he was shipped to Turkey, but they had to leave after 13 months there because there was a threat of war. KD remained in Turkey for two more years. He was shipped from Turkey to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter. He was also shipped back to Korea. He served time in the Dominican Republic and in active duty in Vietnam.

While in the Air Force, KD took extension classes and received 10 certificates in special courses. His primary duties as a master sergeant were being in charge of surface transportation and the munition section. He inspected bombs before they were loaded onto airplanes.

A few years before retiring from the Air Force, he had a house built in the Cedar Rock community between Easley and Pickens so Martha Ann could return there to live and take care of her mother-in-law. Later, she took care of both of her parents.

After leaving the Air Force, KD went to work at the Easley Fire Department. He retired from there and went to work at Bes-Pac as a truck driver. He worked there for eight years.

KD and Martha Ann have one daughter, one granddaughter, one grandson and four great-grandchildren. Their grandson is currently serving in the Army Special Forces. His rank is lieutenant colonel.

Carol Baker/Courier

Mementos of the past decorate KD and Martha Ann Hawkins’ home in the Cedar Rock community.

Martha Ann’s hobby is crocheting, and her talent is baking cakes. She has crocheted and given away many beautiful afghans. KD plays golf sometimes, but one thing is for sure — they are both workers. They still live in the house they had built at Cedar Rock. KD plants and tends a garden every year. The couple loves to give the vegetables from the garden to their friends and neighbors.

While in the Air Force, KD and Martha Ann traveled through many states and to some countries overseas, but they came back to their hometown as the same kind-hearted, caring people who left when they were teenagers.

Easley resident Carol Baker highlights interesting local residents and helps us get to know more about the fascinating people who call Pickens County home. If you have someone somewhere who you think people should know about, contact us at news@thepccourier.com.