The remains of a missing South Carolina mother have been discovered, and police have made a new arrest in connection with her case, also revealing the cause of her death.
Authorities from the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office announced that they found the remains of 30-year-old Jamilla Smith last Thursday in a wooded area on Silver Bluff Road.
The Aiken County Coroner, Daryll Ables, along with the Aiken Department of Public Safety and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, assisted in the recovery.
An autopsy has been ordered, and it was confirmed that Smith died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Jamilla Smith, a mother of two young boys, was last heard from on December 2nd.
She had been with her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Gabriel Harmon, in Aiken County.
Harmon was arrested on December 23rd on charges including kidnapping and murder.
According to police, Harmon allegedly hit Smith with a car.
Records show that on December 2nd, Smith called 911, sounding breathless, and a dispatcher reported hearing a revving engine.
During the call, Smith can be heard saying, "You hit me," and pleading for the man to leave her alone.
On April 19th, Harmon’s cousin, Bryan Alexander Hampton Jr., surrendered himself and was charged as an accessory after the fact to murder.
Additionally, a third man, Clyde Hendley II, was arrested on April 17th in connection with the case and charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
Authorities searched Hendley’s home before taking him to the Aiken County Detention Center.
Hendley is known to be an associate of both Harmon and Hampton, according to a sheriff’s office spokesperson.
It is unclear who is representing Hendley legally, but the Aiken County Solicitor's Office confirmed that Strom Thurmond is representing Hampton, though Thurmond did not respond to requests for comments.
Harmon’s lawyer, Charles Lyons III, advised his client not to comment on the ongoing criminal proceedings.
Lyons conveyed the Harmon family’s remorse and sorrow over Smith’s disappearance and the fact that she had not been located at the time of his statement.
The circumstances leading to the discovery of Smith’s remains last Thursday remain unclear, as the sheriff’s office did not provide specific details.
Kimberly Kite, who runs an organization that aids in locating missing persons, stated that Smith’s family had reached out to her nonprofit for assistance.
She emphasized their commitment to bringing Smith home and revealed that the family had been praying for answers and for the second suspect to reveal Smith's whereabouts.
Smith’s family mentioned that she had previously contacted the police several times regarding her ex-boyfriend due to domestic violence incidents, with records indicating three such calls on July 2, August 22, and November 9.
Smith’s mother, Tina McCraw, shared that Jamilla had moved from Aiken County to Florida in July 2023 to be with her family but returned to South Carolina in early December to resolve issues related to her car.
On the day she disappeared, Smith had called her mother using her ex-boyfriend’s phone, explaining that he had thrown her phone out of the car.
Guided by her family, Smith managed to find her phone and later informed her mother that she planned to stay at her ex-boyfriend’s house for the night.
That was the last time McCraw heard from her daughter, who was reported missing soon after.
The Aiken County Sheriff’s Office has asked anyone with information regarding this case to call (803) 648-6811 or to send a message via their website at www.aikencountysheriff.net.
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