Community grieves at candlelight vigil for June Guerry, Dana Woods

MONCKS CORNER — A community stunned by the killings of two young women expressed its grief Friday night at a candlelight vigil filled with tears, hugs and prayers.

The bodies of June Guerry, 22, and Dana Woods, 18, were found this week in Francis Marion National Forest. Both were shot to death.

“I pray that the person who has done this will be brought to justice,” the Rev. Kyle Driggers of Pioneer Pentecostal Holiness Church in Cordesville said in a loud, firm voice.

A crowd of about 100 people softly sang “Amazing Grace” as they gathered in a half-circle around a photo of Guerry framed with the signatures of friends.

“Gone too soon. A rosebud picked before it could bloom,” a mourner wrote.

The vigil at Unity Park was for Guerry. A vigil for Woods was held Wednesday.

The grief-stricken struggled to express their feelings. Women fought back tears as they remembered Guerry and Woods.

Woods was described as a sweet girl and a loyal friend who wanted to be a lawyer. Friends spoke in equally glowing terms about Guerry.

“That’s why no one can understand why they would do this to them,” said Tiffany Alley of Cross.

She does not let her 4-year-old daughter play in the yard because of the unsolved slayings.

“People in Moncks Corner are scared,” said Kimberly Kite, a Summerville resident who said the effect is even being felt there. “It’s got a lot of people on edge right now.”

Gene Cribb said earlier in the day that the deaths have devastated the community. “Things like this just don’t happen in Moncks Corner.”

“I was sad their life was taken away from them for no reason,” said Karen Godbolt of Moncks Corner. “I’m just praying that they find the person who did it to them.”

Investigators have reported no suspects in the double homicide.

The body of Guerry was found Wednesday in the Francis Marion National Forest off a secluded dirt road in the Alvin area of Berkeley County. The day before, the body of Woods was found in the forest off Cane Gully Road in the Cordesville community.

Just before midnight Sunday, Woods called her boss and her mother to say that she and Guerry were giving someone a ride. Earlier, Guerry and Woods left Woods’ grandmother’s house to pick up food at a Burger King in Moncks Corner, where Woods once worked.

Restaurant employees recalled seeing the women, authorities said, but nothing stood out about them.

At some point after the stop, a man climbed into Woods’ compact Chevrolet Metro. In her final phone calls, the Trident Technical College student wasn’t specific about what she was doing next.

She said only that a friend of Guerry was with them and that they were headed to another fast-food restaurant, a McDonald’s.

Woods’ burned car was found 75 yards from her body.

Both victims have been described by family members as straight-laced women and diligent employees. Woods, of Alvin, was a delivery driver for Papa John’s. Guerry, an Alvin resident, was a stock clerk at Walmart and the mother of a 2-year-old daughter.

Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dan Moon said investigators returned Thursday to the scene where Guerry’s body was found. They combed for more evidence, but it wasn’t known whether their efforts were fruitful.

The investigation still hadn’t revealed any solid suspects, Moon said Friday. Detectives have interviewed several people, and an expert from the FBI helped analyze surveillance footage, Moon said without discussing specifics.

“We’re doing our normal hard work,” he said. “We’re trying to solve this thing.”

Woods’ funeral will be 1 p.m. today in the chapel of Dial-Murray Funeral Home in Moncks Corner. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.

The graveside service for Guerry will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Taylor Cemetery in Macedonia.

“It’s heartbreaking for the families,” said Belinda Riffee of Moncks Corner.