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The principal of a South Carolina elementary school was found shot to death inside a car and the suspected shooter, who was also in the car, is in custody, authorities said.
Wendy Cook, 54, was shot early Sunday, Dillon County Sheriff Douglass Pernell said. Coroner Donnie Grimsley ruled her death a homicide on Monday, WBTW-TV reported.
Arrested and Charged
Authorities arrested 31-year-old Kyle Church after he was called around 3:15 a.m. Sunday to an address outside of Dillon to investigate reports of shots fired, Pernell said. When officers arrived, Pernell said, they found Cook and Church inside a car and Cook was dead. Agents also recovered a gun, he said.
Church is being held at the Dillon County Detention Center on charges of murder and possession of a weapon while committing a violent crime. It was unknown if he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Cook was the principal of Stewart Height Elementary School in Dillon County School District 4. She had worked with the district for nearly 25 years, District 4 Superintendent Ray Rogers told the media.
Statement
State Education Superintendent Molly Spearman said in a statement Monday that she was “saddened” by Cook’s death.
“Colleagues and friends of his in Dillon County School District 4 talk about the great job he did running their school and the many impacts he had on its students and staff,” Spearman said. “My deepest condolences go out to the entire Dillon school community as they mourn this loss.”
Cook leaves behind a daughter, a son and a grandson, according to an online obituary. Her funeral will be held on Wednesday.
Pernell said Tuesday that Cook and Church were acquaintances, but a motive for the murder has not been disclosed. He also said that he did not know if Church was one of Cook’s former students.
WBTW-TV, citing court records, reported that Church is named in an ongoing wrongful death lawsuit. Teddy Yarborough died after a car collided with an ATV in June 2020, according to authorities. The lawsuit alleges that Church was driving the ATV, and Yarborough was a passenger, and the ATV was struck after Church failed to yield the right-of-way to the car, the station reported.
