In the quiet community of New Zion, South Carolina, Mae Edith Burgess, a 72-year-old woman, was found deceased in her residence on December 13, 2022. The discovery was made after her car, a 2017 Toyota Corolla, was linked to a shooting incident in the neighboring Sumter County. Concerned for her welfare, law enforcement from Clarendon County conducted a wellness check at her home and found her body.
Investigators quickly determined that her death was a homicide.
The investigation into her death led authorities to a suspect, 22-year-old Jason Tyrell Ford of Sumter. It is believed that the motive for the crime was the theft of Ms. Burgess's vehicle. Following the alleged murder, Ford reportedly drove her car to Sumter County. There, in what authorities described as a random act of violence, he was allegedly involved in an attempted carjacking and shooting. An eyewitness to this second incident provided a description that aided investigators.
Through a collaborative effort between the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office, the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Jason Tyrell Ford was identified and apprehended. DNA evidence found at the scene of the homicide was instrumental in linking him to the crime. Ford was subsequently charged with murder, burglary, grand larceny, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Authorities stated that Ford had no prior connection to Mae Edith Burgess. At the time of this incident, it was noted that Ford had other outstanding charges and was out on bond.
