The Goodbye Letter That CAUGHT A Killer | South Carolina Cases

A South Carolina mother leaves home for a walk and disappears, leaving her family searching for answers even after her remains are found. In another South Carolina case, two girls are abducted weeks apart, and a killer’s chilling phone calls and a hidden clue in a handwritten letter help investigators uncover the truth. In today’s episode of Southern Girl Crime Stories, we cover the disappearance and suspicious death of Jessica Ashmore and the 1985 murders of Shari Smith and Debra Helmick. 🔎 Featured Cases: 🕵 Jessica Ashmore — Jonesville, South Carolina On May 19, 2019, 33-year-old mother of two Jessica Ashmore left her family’s property on foot and headed down Jeffries Farm Road. She left behind her phone, purse, and the inhaler she relied on for severe asthma. She never returned. Her family reported her missing on May 25. Deputies and volunteers searched the surrounding area using drones and search dogs, but found no sign of Jessica. On December 16, 2019, a tree-planting crew discovered skeletal remains in a remote wooded area off Jeffries Farm Road. DNA testing confirmed in January 2020 that the remains belonged to Jessica. Investigators designated her death as criminally suspicious. Her cause of death has not been publicly released in the account covered in this episode, and her case remains unsolved. Her family continues to seek answers about what happened after she left home. 🕵 Shari Smith and Debra Helmick — South Carolina On May 31, 1985, 17-year-old Shari Smith disappeared after stopping at the mailbox at the end of her family’s driveway in Lexington County. Her father found her car still running, with the driver’s door open and mail scattered on the ground. Her family received a handwritten letter titled “Last Will and Testament,” followed by a series of disturbing phone calls from her abductor. The caller eventually directed investigators to Shari’s body in Saluda County. On June 14, nine-year-old Debra Helmick was abducted while playing outside he