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S.C. authorities probe slaying of Martinez woman, son

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The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution

Author: SCRUGGS, KATHY; Kathy Scruggs Staff writer STAFF

South Carolina authorities traveled to Georgia today to question potential witnesses in the slaying of a Martinez woman and her 12-year-old son, whose partially burned bodies were found in a van in Sumter National Forest, near Edgefield, S.C. Linda A. Williams, 39, of 886 Huntington Horn Way, died of a blow to her head and her son, Shawn, was strangled. Investigators said they are not sure whether the victims were killed in Georgia or South Carolina. They had been seen earlier Wednesday morning in Martinez, before a U.S. Forest Service ranger found the van about 11 a.m. Edgefield County Sheriff's Detective Don Bullock said police plan to question the woman's husband, Luke Williams, 40.

South Carolina authorities traveled to Georgia today to question potential witnesses in the slaying of a Martinez woman and her 12-year-old son, whose partially burned bodies were found in a van in Sumter National Forest, near Edgefield, S.C.

Edgefield County Sheriff's Detective Don Bullock said police also planned to question the woman's husband, Luke Williams, 40.

"We'll be hitting it hard and heavy today," he said. "We've started with the spouse, that's normal procedure. We have to eliminate him or charge him and we haven't made that determination yet."

Linda A. Williams, 39, of 886 Huntington Horn Way, died of a blow to her head and her son, Shawn, was strangled, police said.

There were fingernail scratches on Shawn's neck, Detective Bullock said. There did not appear to be a mark on Mrs. Williams's head, indicating she was struck with something soft, possibly a fist, Detective Bullock said.

Investigators said they are not sure whether the victims were killed in Georgia or South Carolina. They had been seen earlier Wednesday morning in Martinez, before a U.S. Forest Service ranger found the van about 11 a.m.

Detective Bullock said they would interview the witnesses today.

Edgefield County coroner Thurmond Burnett said the woman and child from Columbia County, Ga., were in a minivan that had been driven into the woods south of Forks Campground in the national forest. The campground is within a few miles of the Savannah River, north of Augusta.

It appeared someone had set fire to the van because the upholstery was damaged, but other areas of the van were not affected.

"They hadn't been in the forest very long, maybe three or four hours, but we don't yet know what happened to them," said Edgefiled County Sheriff Billy Parker.

Mrs. Williams was a paraprofessional, or teacher's aide, at Bel Air Elementary School in Evans for the past three years, said Columbia County School Superintendent Tucker Vaughn.

"We're all shocked, but we really don't know too much about what happened," Mr. Vaughn said.

Staff writer Derrick Hinmon contributed to this article.

1991 Jun 21