Share and Follow
Inset left: Megan Bodiford (GoFundMe). Inset right: Jarrett Davis (Bamberg County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The location where the burned car containing Bodiford’s remains was found (WIS/YouTube).
In a chilling case that has rocked South Carolina, a man has confessed to the brutal murder of his girlfriend, whose body was found in a car set ablaze. Court records reveal that Jarrett Haskell Davis, aged 28, admitted to the heinous act on Monday, acknowledging his guilt on charges of murder, third-degree arson, and desecration of human remains, along with possessing a weapon during a violent crime.
Davis has been handed a 43-year prison sentence for the murder, with additional time added for the other offenses. This follows the tragic disappearance of 25-year-old Megan Bodiford, who went missing from Denmark, South Carolina, in late April. Before vanishing, Bodiford sent a foreboding text message to a friend, warning them of her peril: “If you don’t hear from me in 30 minutes, he killed me,” as reported by FITSNews.
The ominous message also included the chilling words, “He has a gun.” Bodiford’s disappearance and subsequent murder have left a community reeling, especially as she was a mother to a 4-month-old baby. Friends and family have recounted the domestic turmoil Bodiford faced in her relationship with Davis. Her cousin, Stephanie Nickens, spoke to WIS, a local NBC and CW affiliate, highlighting Bodiford’s cries for help in the lead-up to her death.
“He has a gun,” Bodiford also said.
Bodiford had a 4-month-old baby at the time and was dealing with domestic issues in her relationship with Davis, according to friends and family. “She reached out for help,” said Bodiford’s cousin, Stephanie Nickens, in an interview with local NBC and CW affiliate WIS after Davis’ arrest.
The Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office said Davis was taken into custody after authorities found a burned-out car with human remains that were later identified as Bodiford about 2 miles from her home.
“It’s gut-wrenching because he did not have to do all of that at all,” Nickens told the station about the way Bodiford was found and her last plea for help. “I keep having this thought in my mind of how fearful she was in that moment,” the cousin said.
Bodiford’s family told WIS after Davis’ arrest that they were upset with cops because Davis had a domestic violence arrest warrant at the time.
“If he would have been locked up the way that he was supposed to be the first time, maybe he wouldn’t have even gotten a chance to get this far with her,” Nickens said.
Bodiford was a mother to three daughters, ages 7, 4 and 4 months, according to a GoFundMe page.
“I want everyone to focus on what a beautiful soul she had, just a wonderful mother that she was,” Nickens told WIS. “She loved being around people. If you look on her social media, you see so many friends coming together and posting memories that they have of them with her.”