Spartanburg family offers $10k reward to help solve triple homicide in Clifton community
A $10,000 reward has been offered to help solve a triple murder in the old mill village of Clifton that happened 29 years ago.
On Jan. 9, 1993, the bodies of Thomas Johnson, 81, wife Mary, 77, and son David, 43, were found inside their Cedar Street home, victims of multiple stab wounds.
No arrests were ever made, but in the past year, Spartanburg County cold case investigator Diane Lestage said she's spoken to many people and evidence is being newly analyzed by the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division.
At a news conference Friday at Clifton Second Baptist Church – a short walk from where the murders happened – Sheriff Chuck Wright said new technology today, such as DNA analysis, can help solve decades-old crimes.
Wright said what's needed now is for witnesses to come forward and talk with investigators.
"This family was brutally murdered, and we're going to get answers," Wright said. "If we have somebody that we need to interview in this community that you're afraid of, I'll take care of that."
Longtime Pastor David Moore also spoke, recalling that the crime forever altered the once-thriving textile mill village of 2,000 residents. He said the Johnsons attended church every Sunday.
"Up until that day Clifton community was a very laid-back community – nobody locked their doors, there were no streetlights," Moore said. "That day, everything changed.
Clifton lost its innocence. (Residents) locked the front doors, lights were put up on the street. Everybody talked. Everybody had an answer.
"Everybody looked at each other with suspicion," he added. We hoped it would not be one of our own. And we still hope that. Our desire today is that those who are guilty of this horrible crime will be brought to justice."
Clifton cold case: Triple-homicide in Clifton community remain unsolved 28 years later
Among relatives of the Johnsons attending the news conference were Tammy Dimsdale, a niece of Mary Johnson; and her husband Randy and son Tommy who was only 1 at the time.
Tammy Dimsdale said they lived a half-mile from the Johnsons.
"I saw Clifton change that day," she said. "It changed the way my son grew up. It's not normal. You find yourself doubting all the time. It just absolutely consumes your life. It wasn't just losing three family members, it was about losing trust, a way of life."
Wright said the killer may or may not still be in the area. Days after the crime in 1993, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said he doubted robbery was the motive because the house was not ransacked and there was no forced entry.
But there were signs of a struggle, as all three suffered broken ribs. Their bodies were found on a bed in a downstairs bedroom where all three slept, and bloodstains were found in the kitchen, in the den and around the telephone, and on a chair, a Coroner's Office investigator said days later in 1993.
All were believed to have died within a short period of time of each other and were stabbed multiple times with a knife.
Wright said Friday he believes there are still witnesses in the area who previously were too reluctant to come forward.
Wright noted that an electronic billboard advertising the reward has been posted next to the Sub Station at 875 E. Main St., Spartanburg.
He said the family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the prosecution of the person responsible for the crime. Anyone with information should contact Investigator Lestage at 864-503-4556, or at dlestage@spartanburgcounty.org.
The elder Johnsons were retired from Clifton Mill Number Two. They had lived in the five-room house for about 35 years and had three sons. David was the oldest. Another son was killed in a car accident 10 years earlier. The only surviving son was Keith Johnson.
Wright noted that all three victims had numerous health issues and took medications.
Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg County Sheriff: $10k reward to help solve Clifton murders
