GOOSE CREEK, S.C.—New gruesome details are emerging about the two bodies recently found buried in a shallow grave along the 400-block of South Pandora Drive in Goose Creek.
“Investigators attended the autopsy of the two victims this morning at MUSC and are interviewing various witnesses and following new and existing leads. We are working with Berkeley County Coroner’s Office to identify the victims,” Major John Grainger stated Monday. “We will rely on the Berkeley County Coroner’s Office to announce the identities of the victims when they deem it appropriate.”
According to an affidavit, on Saturday, a woman by the name of Wilda Loftis responded to the Goose Creek Police Department to report that her husband, James Edward Loftis, reportedly killed two people and buried them in the couple’s backyard.
Officers say they then proceeded to the couple’s home and met with a man named James Yetrakas. Yetrakus reportedly told officers that James Loftis told him that he took a cab ride home from a strip club and that “they” followed him into his house and then shot them and buried them in the backyard.
The wife invited police inside the home and pointed out a bullet hole she located in the living room wall above the couch. Officers then noticed a disturbed area of dirt in the backyard, the affidavit reads.
Police say they then made contact with James Loftis who voluntarily agreed to provide a statement at the Goose Creek Police Department after reading him his Miranda rights. According to police, the defendant confessed that in the early morning hours of March 5th, he took a cab ride home to his house after leaving a strip club.
After the cab ride, the defendant stated that he walked inside his home and a short time later the cab driver and another unidentified male banged on the front door. Police say the defendant stated that he then proceeded to open the front door, at which time the cab driver and unidentified male pushed their way into the house.
After pushing their way into the house, they reportedly then told the defendant that they wanted their money for the cab fare. After being threatened, the defendant stated “I’ll get your money” and walked into another room to obtain a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, the affidavit reads.
The defendant went on to explain that he then walked back into the living room and fired eight shots at the cab driver and the other unidentified person.
The defendant told police that he then relocated the taxi cab to Old Back River road and walked back to his house. According to the affidavit, James Loftis went on to explain that he proceeded to the Kangaroo gas station on Red Bank Road and purchased five gallons of gas. He then indicated that he cleaned his house with bleach and placed his clothing and the towels used to clean the residence in a hole with the victims’ bodies.
Police say James Loftis then told them that he then burned the bodies, towels and clothing. Police then got a search warrant and found the two burnt bodies located in a shallow grave in the backyard.
“The investigation is in its infancy and we realize that many questions remain unanswered,” stated Grainger. “Our focus will remain on the investigation and conducting it as thoroughly as possible. When questions can be accurately answered, we will follow up accordingly.”
The suspect has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder. A judge recently denied him bond.
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