Plucky Margaret Gooding survives Hampton county kidnapping : Beaufort Tribune.com

Return to Front Page Thursday, December 10, 2009 articles (index)
Plucky Margaret Gooding survives Hampton county kidnapping

Ms Gooding-1

Plucky Margaret Gooding survives Hampton county kidnapping

Details of the Monday kidnapping and rescue of Margaret S. Gooding, 78, of 21484 Old Salkehatchie Road in Hampton county reveal she is one plucky and lucky lady. At a press conference Tuesday, Hampton County Sheriff T.C. Smalls said Gooding grabbed her trusty pistol and engaged in a shootout with one of the men who invaded her rural home in the middle of the night and kidnapped her. She then survived more than 12 hours in the trunk of her car with a bullet in her belly before being rescued and taken to the hospital Monday afternoon.

Stevie Aiken

Sheriff Smalls said Gooding had hired the alleged ringleader of the gang of three, Stevie Lamont Aiken, 30, of 609 4th Street, Walterboro, to do yard work around her home several weeks before the incident. He said Stevie Aiken appeared to be the main person behind the kidnapping, which took place in the dead of night at about 1:30 am Monday. Smalls said Stevie Aiken apparently threw a brick through a side window of Gooding’s home, which happened to be where Gooding was sleeping. Aiken then allegedly put a gun through the window, demanding Gooding go to the front door and open it. He allegedly threatened to shoot her if she did not comply.

While going to the front door, Gooding attempted to run towards where she had hidden a pistol in her home for protection and was shot at by Aiken, the sheriff said. Although she was able to get to her gun, it was unclear whether she was hit by a bullet fired by Aiken while she was running for her pistol or after she got to it. According to Sheriff Smalls, Gooding did fire off a few rounds from her gun in what Smalls described as a shootout between Gooding and Aiken.

Derrick Aiken

Gooding was hit in her stomach with a bullet at some point during this time, Smalls said. Deputies later discovered that Stevie Aiken’s brother, Derrick Aiken, had apparently dropped Stevie off with Nathaniel Harris at Gooding’s home to commit the crime. Smalls said Stevie Aiken and Nathaniel Harris were able to restrain Gooding by spraying pepper spray into her face. They then took her out of the house and placed her into the trunk of her car, a white Buick LeSabre. The suspects then reportedly fled the area in Gooding’s car with Gooding in the trunk. Gooding, according to Smalls, remained in the trunk with a gunshot wound in her stomach for more than 12 hours.

Nathaniel Harris

Investigators received a break in the case when a man, later identified as Nathaniel Harris, came into the Branch Bank & Trust office in Walterboro and attempted to cash one of Gooding’s checks Monday afternoon. This was unsuccessful because the Hampton County sheriff’s office had already flagged all of Gooding’s bank accounts. When Harris exited the bank and jumped into a taxicab that had brought him to the bank, a security camera captured his picture and a picture of the cab.

An off-duty Colleton County deputy who knew about the kidnapping spotted the cab. He stopped it and detained Harris. When officers spoke with Harris, they learned there were two other people involved, the brothers Stevie and Derrick Aiken.

While this was happening, a citizen of Walterboro, Walter Groves, called 911 and stated he had spotted on Hampton Street in Walterboro the white Buick LeSabre that was reported missing. Groves told police while he was talking to them on the phone that he heard talking from inside the car but did not see anyone. The police told him to move away from the car and await their arrival. When they came to the scene they found Gooding in the trunk with a gunshot wound. She was flown to MUSC in Charleston for treatment and was possibly released Wednesday, according to the public information officer at the Hampton County sheriff’s office.

“Walter Groves was Mrs. Gooding’s guardian angel,” Sheriff Smalls said during the press conference. “I want to stress that it is important to be careful who you allow to do yard work or work of any kind in or around your home, not only the elderly, but all citizens. Mrs. Gooding was a fighter and that helped her get through this ordeal.”

Sheriff Smalls also thanked all agencies who helped the Hampton County sheriff’s office with the case, including all of the agencies within Hampton County, the Colleton County sheriff’s office, the City of Walterboro police department, the SC Department of Natural Resources, and the SC Law Enforcement Division.

Stevie Aiken and Nathaniel Harris are now residing in the Hampton County jail, charged with burglary first, kidnapping, assault and battery with intent to kill, grand larceny, felon in possession of a weapon and armed robbery. Derrick Aiken is in there too, charged with accessory before and after the fact.

The three men were each denied bond by Judge Carolyn Williams during their arraignment Wednesday afternoon. According to a press release from the Hampton County sheriff’s office, they will now face a circuit court judge in Hampton County General Sessions Court.

The press release said that during the arraignment, Derrick Aiken, when given permission to speak, told Judge Williams he was not a criminal and that everybody makes mistakes. Derrick Aiken further stated he was getting charged for something he did not do.

According to the press release, Stevie Aiken simply told Judge Williams he was planning on pleading not guilty to the charges. Harris did not make a comment.

Family members of Margaret Gooding were present at the arraignment hearing as well as family members of Stevie and Derrick Aiken.

What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor.

Comments are closed.

Click on ads for more info