In the quiet town of Kingstree, South Carolina, a horrific discovery shattered the peace on October 4, 2010. Thelma Mitchum Haddock, a 73-year-old female, was found deceased in the home she shared with her sister. Both had been victims of a brutal act of violence that would leave the community in shock and a family searching for justice for over a decade.
Thelma and her 65-year-old sister, Naomi Johnson, were found slain in their residence in Williamsburg County.
The two sisters had been fatally shot. In the immediate aftermath of the double homicide, a suspect was identified and taken into custody. Joseph Jermaine Brand, whose father made the gruesome discovery of the sisters' bodies after finding his son wandering aimlessly in their yard, was arrested. Investigators reported that Brand confessed to the killings, and he was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, as well as armed robbery and burglary.
The legal proceedings against Joseph Jermaine Brand took a complicated turn. In 2012, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and deemed incompetent to stand trial. This ruling meant that he could not legally be prosecuted until he was considered mentally fit to assist in his own defense. Brand was then sent to a group home for treatment. The legal complexities of the case led to a situation where, after his treatment and release in 2016, he was seen freely walking around Kingstree, much to the distress and fear of the victims' families and the local community.
After years of uncertainty and advocacy from the victims' families, the case saw a significant development in May 2022. Following media attention that highlighted the oversight in Brand's release, law enforcement officials took action. Warrants were reissued for his arrest, and Joseph Jermaine Brand was tracked down and apprehended in Colorado. He was awaiting extradition back to South Carolina to finally face the charges for the murders of Thelma Haddock and Naomi Johnson, bringing a renewed sense of hope to their loved ones that justice would eventually be served.
