Seneca Man Remains in Jail after Recent Property Crimes Arrest

Thomas Edwin Turner

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------A Seneca man remains in jail today after his arrest last Saturday evening in relation to two separate property crimes which occurred at two separate addresses on Sweet Gum Drive in southern Oconee County.    

38 year old Thomas Edwin Turner was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 9:42pm on Saturday, May 9^th.  During an initial appearance before a Judge, Turner was denied bond on all of his charges.  Turner will appear before a Circuit Court Judge, at a later time, regarding his bond. 

A Deputy from the Uniform Patrol Bureau responded to one address on Sweet Gum Drive in the early afternoon hours last Saturday, May 9^th in reference to an alarm call.  The Deputy met with the homeowner and evidence was obtained that showed a white male, later identified as Turner, entering the residence and then leaving the residence after stealing some beer.  Turner was subsequently charged with one count each of Second Degree Burglary and Petit Larceny in relation to this investigation. 

Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Bureau were then dispatched back to Sweet Gum Drive early last Saturday evening in reference to reports of a male with a firearm who was walking around the area and looking into windows of residences.  Deputies then began a search of the area, which included K-9 Deputy Falk and his handler.

As the investigation continued, a Deputy discovered an open window at a residence at a different location than the alarm call from earlier in the day.  A Deputy contacted the homeowner, who stated that no one was supposed to be at the residence.  The homeowner also gave Deputies consent to enter the residence. 

Once inside, Deputies located liquor bottles, an open pantry door, an open container of food and food scattered in the hallway, an open rifle case and clothes.  As Deputies searched the home, and with the assistance of K-9 Deputy Falk, they located a white male inside a crawl space of the residence.  The male, identified as Turner, had a rifle and an open container of alcohol located beside him in the crawl space.  

As Deputies removed Turner from the crawl space, and placed him in custody, Deputies located ammunition and tools on his person.  Out of an abundance of caution, Deputies contacted paramedics, who then transported Turner to the hospital as Deputies were concerned about Turner’s level of intoxication and mental state.  After being released from the hospital, Turner was transported to jail Saturday evening.

In relation to the Saturday evening investigation, Turner was charged with one count each of First Degree Burglary, Petit Larceny, Malicious Injury to Property, Possession of a Weapon during Commission of a Violent Crime and Possession of Tools Capable of being used in a Crime. 

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.