Homicide by heart attack: York, SC man’s Christmas attack killed aunt, prosecutors say
A York County man accused of a Christmas Day 2020 home invasion that led to his aunt’s death due to a heart attack will remain in jail pending trial, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Jackie Ray Childers Jr., 38, is charged with murder and other crimes in the death of Sarah Childers.
Sarah Childers, 72, and her husband, Billy Childers, 75, were attacked, beaten, and tied up in the Christmas day home invasion and robbery in Hickory Grove, Matthew Shelton, 16th Circuit senior solicitor, said Wednesday in court.
Sarah Childers died a few days after Christmas of a heart attack, Shelton said. The home invasion and attack caused Sarah Childer’s death, Shelton said.
The attack was first reported in The Herald after Christmas 2020.
The York County Sheriff’s Office began a multi-state manhunt for Jackie Childers and two other suspects shortly after the home invasion, prosecutors said. The home invasion went without an arrest for weeks. York County deputies and FBI agents worked the case until Jackie Childers and another suspect, alleged to have been part of the crime, were arrested in Kentucky. A third suspect was arrested near Myrtle Beach.
Why court now?
Jackie Childers was in court Wednesday for a bond hearing. He had been jailed without bail since his arrest in January.
Childers is charged with murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary, conspiracy, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Shelton said in court that Childers is a clear flight risk who fled after the attack. He also has a criminal history of more than a dozen convictions that date back two decades, Shelton said.
“A woman is dead because of this heinous crime,” Shelton said.
Childers’ lawyer, Geoff Dunn, said in court that while the allegations in the case are terrible and the crimes brutal, Childers denies involvement.
“Mr. Childers disagrees with all of the facts as presented by the state,” Dunn said.
Childers did not speak.
South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Dan Hall denied bond to Childers. Hall said Childers is a flight risk as shown by his leaving South Carolina after the crimes, and presents a possible danger to the community because of the violence of the allegations against him.
The crime
The Christmas day attack against Billy and Sarah Childers sparked a manhunt from Illinois to the South Carolina coast that involved more than 15 state and local police agencies, prosecutors said.
Jackie Childers, Virginia D. Ratcliffe, 32, of Harrisburg, Ill., and Travis Randell Baxter, 29, of Grover, N.C, all were charged in late January with murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary, and conspiracy, and designated as the trio who attacked Sarah and Billy Childers, Shelton said.
On Christmas 2020, a woman officials identified as Ratcliffe went to the home of Billy and Sarah Childers in rural western York County, claiming to have car trouble, Shelton said. When Billy Childers opened the door, Jackie Childers and another man attacked and tied up Billy Childers, Shelton said.
Sarah Childers was then beaten, attacked inside the home, forced to disrobe and tied up, Shelton said.
The suspects allegedly stole money, guns, jewelry, a car, and other items, Shelton said.
How the suspects were caught
For weeks after Christmas, the FBI offered a $10,000 reward.
The suspects were identified and caught after alleged attempts to pawn, or sell, a gun stolen in the crime, Shelton said. Police linked a cellphone to Ratcliffe and Childers in Paducah, Kentucky, where the two were arrested, Shelton said.
Ratcliffe admitted her role in the crimes to York County detectives, Shelton said. Ratcliffe also implicated Jackie Childers and Baxter as the others involved, Shelton said.
“Jackie Childers denied being involved but admitted there was bad blood between him and his uncle,” Shelton said.
What happens now?
All three defendants remain in the York County jail without bail. No trial date has been set.
All three face up to life in prison if convicted, South Carolina law states.
Lawyers in the case said in court Wednesday a trial could happen by early 2022.
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 5:02 PM.
