CRIME SPECIAL
PHOTOS: AFP/GETTY / 7TH CIRCUIT SOLICITOR’S OFFICEhim being forced to
have therapy. Not
only that, Kohlhepp
should already have
been a suspect – he
had a criminal record
that he was hiding
from everyone.
In 1986, when he
was just 15, Kohlhepp
had kidnapped a
14-year-old girl in
Arizona. He threatened
her with a gun and
forced her to come
home with him, where
he tied her up and
raped her. He pleaded
guilty to kidnapping and
the other charges were
dropped in return for 15 years in prison and
being registered as a sex offender for life.
Kohlhepp was released after 14 years and
moved to South Carolina, starting a new life.
Despite being a registered sex offender,
he lied and got an estate agent’s licence,
managing to employ a dozen staff.
But some saw a darker side to Kohlhepp.
He could be inappropriate and would watch
pornography at work. When he did tell people
about being on the sex register, he claimed it
was a misunderstanding.
There was no confusion now. Kohlhepp
was an incredibly dangerous serial killer,
responsible for the deaths of seven people.
An arsenal of guns was found at his
property, including pistols and semi-automatic
weapons.
Despite everything, his mother, Regina
Tague, stood by him, saying, “He was very
misunderstood. Todd is not a monster. He
wasn’t doing it for enjoyment, he was doing
it because he was mad and he was hurt.”
In May 2017, Kohlhepp, 46, pleaded guilty
to seven counts of murder and was sentenced
to seven consecutive life sentences without
the chance of parole. The deal spared him the
death penalty.
Loved ones spoke out against his shocking
actions. Cindy Coxie, mum of victim Johnny,
said she was devastated to have to tell his
seven-year-old son he was dead. “He hates
you with his little heart,” she told Kohlhepp.
Scott Ponder’s wife was pregnant when
he was gunned down in his bike shop. His son,
Scott Jr, was there to see Kohlhepp sentenced.
“I’m always going to wonder what it would
have been like if my dad was here,” he said.
Kala’s lawyer said she was unable to be
in court as she continues to struggle with
post-traumatic stress disorder – but she
agreed with the life sentence.
Kohlhepp continues to hint in interviews
that there are yet more victims. Some experts
believe him and there have been further hunts
for bodies – but no discoveries. Is he playing
on his notoriety to get attention or did his
temper really claim other innocent victims?
The answer may never be known – but at
least Kohlhepp was finally exposed and this
deranged serial killer is behind bars.
GAIL SHORTLANDa humiliated Kohlhepp took his revenge. As
police questioned whether he was telling the
truth, he revealed something never released
to the press – saying he had shot a single
bullet into the head of each victim.
“I cleared that building in under 30
seconds,” he boasted.SICK TIP ON ‘HIDING BODIES’
There were more twisted revelations to
come. Kohlhepp had been leaving reviews
on Amazon for the tools he bought while he
was killing. In a review about a shovel, he
recommended you should “keep [it] in car
to hide the bodies”, while he revealed he
wanted to use a stun gun on one of his staff.
He left over 140 reviews for knives and
tactical gear. Kohlhepp wrote about a padlock,
“Works great, also if someone talks back go
old-school on them by putting it in a sock and
beating them.”
The more police delved into Kohlhepp’s
history, the more grim finds they made.
It turned out his violent temper could
be traced back to his childhood. He would
hit schoolfriends, hurt animals and once
destroyed his bedroom with a hammer. His
anger, referred to as “explosive”, resulted inbloodbath. “Everybody’s been shot up here!”
they told a 911 call handler. “Everybody’s layin’
in a pool of blood. His momma’s been shot.
The mechanic’s been shot.”
The victims were owner Scott Ponder,
30, his mum Beverly Guy, 52, who did the
books, service manager Brian Lucas, 30, and
mechanic Chris Sherbert, 26. Someone had
walked in and gunned them down. Nothing
had been stolen, so investigators struggled
to find a motive. It seemed so personal.
No one suspected Kohlhepp, who was a
customer at the shop. He’d been there several
times and had tried to return a motorbike he’d
bought and struggled to ride. The employees
laughed and refused to take the bike back. So
Kala was
chained by her
neck inside a
cage and had
been raped
Serial killer Todd
Kohlhepp and, above,
some of his twisted
Amazon reviews