Files illuminate accused serial killer
S.C. man served time in Ariz. prison after kidnapping girl, 14
Newly released records from the Arizona Department of Corrections reveal details about alleged South Carolina killer Todd Kohlhepp’s 14 years in Arizona prison, including his fights, disciplinary actions and jobs.
Kohlhepp, 45, was arrested last year after police discovered a woman “chained up like a dog” inside a storage container on his Spartanburg County, S.C., property, triggering a massive lawenforcement search.
The chained woman, Kala Brown of Anderson, S.C., told officials that other missing people may be found on the 95acre property. Ultimately, three bodies were discovered.
Since then, Kohlhepp has confessed to shooting Brown’s boyfriend as well as sexually assaulting her. He also confessed to a quadruple shooting murder at a motorsports shop in South Carolina more than a decade ago. Kohlhepp’s mother said her son also confessed to killing another couple.
Kohlhepp had served time in an Arizona prison after being accused of raping a Tempe girl when he was 15.
The Arizona DOC disciplinary file
He was admitted to prison in Arizona on Oct. 29, 1987, and was released 14 years later on Nov. 24, 2001, according to records on the Arizona Department of Corrections website. His 307-page prison record, which was released after a public information request by The Arizona Republic, was heavily redacted, with several pages blacked out.
The information provided showed that in his first years inside, Kohlhepp fought with other inmates, disrespected guards and worked multiple jobs.
Three years after he was admitted to prison, Kohlhepp asked for a commutation of his sentence and detailed his reasoning.
“I feel I have shown that I can change,” Kohlhepp said in the letter. “All I want is one chance. The chance to become a productive and responsible member of society.”
He cited certificates he received during his time as a dishwasher, one of which was a “Role Model” certificate. In a review of Kohlhepp’s work as a dishwasher, the unit coordinator called him a “great asset” to the program. operating and a certificate in microcomputer applied specialties from Central Arizona College.
Kidnapping, rape of teen girl
Kolhepp had come to the Phoenix area after his mother sent him to live with his father in 1985 while she “worked on herself,” according to court documents.
He drew the attention of Arizona law enforcement at age 15 after he was accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in a Tempe neighborhood in 1986, according to court records obtained by The Republic.
Kohlhepp attempted to coerce a neighbor girl to come with him four times, and on the fifth time, he brought a .22-caliber handgun, held it to her head and told her to go with him, police records showed.
Kohlhepp continued to hold the gun to her head, even cocking it at one point to dissuade her from resisting, as the two walked toward Kohlhepp’s house nearby. Once at his house, he tied her hands behind her back and put duct tape over her mouth before raping her, according to police and court records.
He told her that if she called the police, he would kill her and her two younger siblings, ages 6 and 3 at the time. Kohlhepp walked her back to her home, where she later called Tempe police.
When officers arrived to interview Kohlhepp, he answered the door with a .22-caliber handgun pointed at the ceiling, according to police documents. Asked about the accusations levied against him, he said, according to police documents, “How much time am I going to get for this?” before confessing to the rape and kidnapping.
Kohlhepp accepted a plea deal on Oct. 16, 1987, in which he pleaded guilty to kidnapping under the condition that the sexual-assault charge was dropped.
Kohlhepp may face death penalty