Suspect’s Arrest Record Helps in Murder Investigation
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “We have people who get out on low bonds and they go out and re-offend, or we have people out on multiple bonds and they go out and re-offend,” says Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews Drug charges, fraud, criminal domestic violence, it’s all on 21 year old Stephen Ross Kelly’s criminal record. A receiving stolen goods charge, according to Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews, helped in the murder investigation of Briana Rabon. “That is the case where the vehicle was recovered in an area not too far from where Briana’s body was found. That helped us recognize he was familiar with that area, he had been there before,” says Matthews Matthews says evidence from the scene, Kelly’s car and Rabon’s car has him 100% sure Kelly is the person who strangled the teen and dumped her body near a dirt road behind an Elgin subdivision. More charges are coming for Kelly, says Matthews, including a possible kidnapping charge and criminal sexual conduct. “It may have started off willingly, but I think at some point it became not willingly,” says Matthews Besides going to the same high school, Lugoff Elgin High School, authorities have not released how Rabon and Kelly knew each other, what caused their paths to cross or what led up to the killing that has devastated two families. “There’s a lot of misery that’s going around and a lot of healing that has to take place,” says Matthews In an emotional Twitter post, authorities mentioned the death of Kelly’s younger brother in an ATV accident several years ago. Now, according to the post, Kelly’s family and another have been destroyed. We reached out to the Rabon family, however they did not want to speak out at this time. Rabon was laid to rest Sunday. We also contacted Stephen Kelly’s attorney. We’re told this is the same attorney that has represented Kelly in previous charges. At the time of the killing, authorities say, Kelly was out on probation. Because Monday’s bond hearing was waived, he will remain in jail until trial.
