Jarrett Davis pleaded guilty to murder and related charges and was sentenced to 43 years in prison. Megan Bodiford, 25, warned a friend on April 25, 2024, that she feared her boyfriend "was going to kill her" and asked them to contact police if she did not respond. Deputies arrested Davis at the couple’s Denmark, S.C., home and found the couple’s 4-month-old daughter unharmed. Five days later, Bodiford was found shot inside a burned-out vehicle; investigators say Davis set the car on fire after killing her.
Man Sentenced to 43 Years After Girlfriend Warned He “Was Going to Kill Her”; Victim Found Shot in Burned Car
Jarrett Davis pleaded guilty to murder and related charges and was sentenced to 43 years in prison. Megan Bodiford, 25, warned a friend on April 25, 2024, that she feared her boyfriend "was going to kill her" and asked them to contact police if she did not respond. Deputies arrested Davis at the couple’s Denmark, S.C., home and found the couple’s 4-month-old daughter unharmed. Five days later, Bodiford was found shot inside a burned-out vehicle; investigators say Davis set the car on fire after killing her.
01:17 AM, 11/18/2025Society
South Carolina man receives decades-long sentence after killing girlfriend
A Bamberg County, South Carolina, man has been sentenced to 43 years in prison after admitting he murdered his girlfriend and set her car on fire with her body inside.
Jarrett Davis pleaded guilty to murder on Nov. 10 and also admitted to arson, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and desecration of human remains, according to Bamberg County court records.
Victim feared for her life
The victim, 25-year-old Megan Bodiford, was last seen on April 25, 2024. According to a Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office incident report, she messaged a friend that day asking them to contact police if she did not reply within 30 minutes because she feared her boyfriend “was going to kill her.”
Deputies later searched the couple’s residence in Denmark, S.C., where they arrested Davis. Officers found the couple’s 4-month-old daughter inside the home, unharmed, but Bodiford was not located.
Body found in burned-out vehicle
Five days after her disappearance, on April 30, 2024, authorities discovered Bodiford fatally shot inside a burned-out vehicle. Investigators say Davis killed Bodiford and then set the vehicle on fire with her inside.
In addition to the prison sentence, Davis’ guilty plea and admissions to related charges close a violent case that shocked the small community and drew attention to warnings Bodiford made shortly before her death.
Family remembers Bodiford
In the days following her death, a GoFundMe remembrance and an obituary described Bodiford as a devoted mother of three daughters — ages 7, 4 and 4 months — and called her “a fun-loving girl who enjoyed life and lived life to the fullest.”
Authorities: The Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. Court records list the full set of charges Davis admitted to as part of his plea.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement or a trusted crisis service. Warning signs of intimate-partner violence can include threats, controlling behavior and statements indicating fear for one’s life; those concerns should be taken seriously.