Saturday, August 22, 2009

Moncks Corner, SC: Police: Man Who Shot and Killed Wife Faces Judge


posted 10:23 am Fri August 21, 2009 - Moncks Corner, SC
from ABC News 4 - http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0809/651842.html

The man police say shot and killed his estranged wife goes before a judge. Tonight, relatives from both sides are speaking out.

Two families have been torn apart by murder.

“Really just shock,” Tonia Watkins, Shantay Harris’ sister says. “I can’t believe he would kill my sister.”

Watkins witnessed her brother-in-law Tito Harris shoot and kill her sister early Wednesday morning.

The Watkins and Harris families were brought together by tragedy. They sat side by side ini a Moncks Corner courtroom as Tito Harris faced a judge. What brought them here happened at about 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Moncks Corner police say Harris showed up at the home of his estranged wife 32 year old Shantay Harris armed with a gun. Authorities say the couple began arguing about infidelity and that’s when police say Tito Harris opened fire.

Family members say the couple had been married for fourteen years and had two children together. After the shooting, police say Tito Harris left the home in his car and authorities were able to stop him before he drove out of the neighborhood.

Harris admitted to shooting his wife in an interview with police.

“When I heard the news, I pinched myself because I could not believe this happened. I had to wake up and realize this is reality,” Ellis McClendon, the suspect’s uncle, explained.

Now both families are working together to help the two children left behind. There is no word on who will get custody of them.

“We have to bond together and let them know that even though in spite of all this hurt, they can get through it,” McClendon added.

Tito Harris will still have to go before a circuit judge for another hearing. No date has been set for that yet.

Authorities say Harris had a record of assault but was never convicted of those charges.


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