Man says he's not involved in case

Ethan Carlos Mack may have been one of the last people to see Katherine Waring before she disappeared June 12.

On Tuesday, Mack said he was fed up that some think he's involved in her disappearance. He said he has cooperated fully with Charleston police in their efforts to find her.

"I tried to call her and tried to look for her," Mack told The Post and Courier. "I want her to come home because I miss my friend a whole damn lot."

Mack's comments followed an announcement Monday that Waring's family and friends are offering a $25,000 reward for information about her whereabouts.

Waring is 28 years old and a part-time student at the College of Charleston who lives with her parents on Murray Boulevard in downtown Charleston. She hasn't been heard from since the evening of June 12. Her disappearance triggered a statewide search.

In a police report, Waring's father, Thomas, told investigators that he was suspicious of Mack, who lives on Johns Island. The police report also said that three days after Waring's disappearance, Mack tried to cash one of Waring's personal checks for $4,500 at a Bank of America branch on Folly Road. The teller refused, the police report said.

In an interview, Mack said he has talked with detectives several times during the past six weeks and that he let officers search his house. "If I'm supposed to be a suspect, would you let people search your house? Most people would be running and hiding and wouldn't help look for someone."

Mack confirmed that he had dinner with Waring the night of June 12 at Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse on State Street and dropped her off at her house. "Everything was fine and dandy. There was no problem at all."

Waring called him later, he said. "I showed the police the message she left me." He declined to discuss what the message said, referring questions about the message's contents to police. "I've been trying to give them all the leads." Police declined to comment about the case Tuesday.

Mack said he tried to cash the $4,500 check because "that was money she owed to me and my girlfriend for jewelry." He said Waring had written checks to him before, and that her bank accounts should confirm that.

He said he had known Waring for about five years and had become a confidant.

"I was there through all the crying," he said. "All I wanted from this girl was to be her friend."

Andy Savage, an attorney assisting the family in its efforts to locate Waring, said because Mack was one of the last people to see Waring, it's natural for police to question him. "Everybody's glad he's cooperating with police, and the Warings are very pleased with that," Savage said.

Reach Tony Bartelme at 937-5554 or tbartelme@post andcourier.com.