In late 2015, the life of 29-year-old Johnny Joe Coxie came to a brutal and tragic end in Woodruff, South Carolina. He and his wife, Meagan Leigh McCraw Coxie, disappeared in December after Meagan's mother bonded her out of jail with the promise of a job. Their families' desperate search for answers would last for nearly a year, culminating in a grim discovery that would unravel a tale of serial murder.
The break in the case came in November 2016, when law enforcement, investigating the
disappearance of another couple, discovered a woman chained inside a storage container on a large property in Woodruff. The property belonged to a real estate agent named Todd Kohlhepp. The rescued woman's testimony led investigators to the discovery of multiple bodies buried on the land. Among them were the remains of Johnny Joe Coxie and his wife. An autopsy would later reveal that Johnny had died from a gunshot wound to the torso.
Todd Kohlhepp was arrested and, in the face of mounting evidence, confessed to the murders of the Coxies and five other individuals, including a quadruple homicide at a motorcycle shop in 2003. Kohlhepp claimed he had hired the Coxies for work on his property. According to his confession, an altercation over money led to him fatally shooting Johnny. He then held Meagan captive for several days before killing her as well.
In May 2017, to avoid the death penalty, Todd Kohlhepp pleaded guilty to seven counts of murder, including the murder of Johnny Joe Coxie. He also pleaded guilty to kidnapping and criminal sexual assault charges. As a result, he was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life in prison for his horrific crimes.
