Police: Man on James Island beat girlfriend over Facebook message

A 27-year-old man on James Island severely beat his girlfriend early Saturday because of a Facebook message she received from another man, according to police reports.

Elliot Durrell Chandler, whose address is listed as Bexley Street in North Charleston, faces charges of criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, kidnapping and unlawful conduct toward a child.

Statements from both Chandler and his 22-year-old girlfriend indicate that the couple started arguing late Friday after Chandler looked at her cellphone inside their home on Chipley Terrace. It contained text messages and Facebook communication from a man, the reports stated.

The woman said Chandler accused her of cheating, then punched her 10 times. Chandler charged after her with a bottle of lighter fluid and threatened to kill her, she told investigators from the Charleston Police Department. He pushed a couch in front of the door to prevent her escape, according to the reports.

The couple’s 1-year-old boy was asleep in a bedroom.

Chandler left when a neighbor arrived and interrupted their fight, reports stated. When Chandler returned a few hours later, the woman went to stay with that neighbor.

After Chandler left for his job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant, the woman said she found their son outside in 91-degree heat. He was unharmed.

In interviews with detectives, Chandler admitted to shoving his girlfriend twice, but he denied hitting her and didn’t know how blood was splattered onto walls of the home.

Chandler is a felon and a registered sex offender, according to the state’s registry. He was convicted in 2005 of third-degree criminal sexual conduct against a 14-year-old girl.

Reach Andrew Knapp at 937-5414 or twitter.com/offlede.