2 more arrested in '06 torture-slaying
Pair turn selves in; 4th suspect sought
By Noah Haglund , Schuyler Kropf
Two more suspects in the brutal torture-slaying of a man inside a James Island apartment were charged Wednesday.
Charleston police announced the arrests, which are tied to the March 2006 death of Gerard Roper, who police said was kidnapped and suffered several agonizing forms of torture before he was strangled and dumped on a kitchen floor.
Lead suspect William Oliver Dickerson Jr., 31, faces a death penalty trial. It would be Charleston County's first such trial since 2002.
Police contend that Dickerson confronted Roper, 29, at gunpoint after he left his girlfriend's Indigo Creek apartment on Ashley Hall Road. He forced Roper into a car and drove him to an apartment complex at 311 Fleming Road on James Island, police said.
Dickerson had been living at the complex with relatives after his release from prison a few months earlier. At the time of his arrest, no additional suspects were publicly named.
Arrested this week were Armon R. Dickerson, 28, of Cypress Avenue, who is charged with murder and kidnapping, and Selena K. Rouse, 28, of Sanford, Fla., who is charged with accessory after the fact of murder. The Dickersons are brothers, police said.
Magistrate Linda Lombard set Rouse's bail at $100,000 Wednesday. A circuit judge would have to set bail on Armon Dickerson's murder charge at a later date.
Investigators' affidavits accuse Armon Dickerson of assisting in the beating and moving Roper's body from one apartment to another. He also allegedly confessed his involvement, the affidavit states.
Rouse is accused of being a resident of the unit where the beating took place, seeing the injured man, and later buying and using cleaning supplies to clean blood stains. She also reportedly confessed, the affidavit says.
A murder warrant for a fourth suspect, identified as Rashid Abdullah Malik, 32, also known as David Jenkins, also has been issued.
Charles Francis, public information officer for the Charleston Police Department, said Wednesday that Armon Dickerson and Rouse knew they were wanted and surrendered to police at the Solicitor's Office on Monday. Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson did not return calls seeking comment.
The victim and the Dickersons knew each other, Francis said, adding that Rouse is a friend of Armond Dickerson. Authorities have not disclosed a motive. The arrest of William Dickerson stood out during what was a record- setting murder crime streak in the Charleston area.
Dickerson, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, forced the 5-foot-6-inch, 160-pound Roper into the apartment, police said. Neighbors interviewed by detectives said they never heard screams or cries, but at one point Dickerson called a man on the telephone and told him he was torturing Roper, police said.
Roper's mother also received a call from a friend who claimed that Roper was being beaten by someone, police reported.
When a deputy arrived, he found Roper on his stomach, wearing only a T-shirt and wrapped in a bloody blanket. Police arrested Dickerson after a brief chase. Roper had been mutilated and burned, stabbed several times in the face and back, two of his front teeth were pulled out and he was sodomized with a gun and broom handle, an arrest affidavit said.
Dickerson has a long arrest record, including a 1998 conviction for assault with intent to kill. It is not clear what the new arrests will do to the progress of his trial.
Reach Schuyler Kropf at skropf @postandcourier.com or 937-5551. Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com.
E-mail this story
Printer-friendly version
Comments
kaylee (anonymous) says...
What a shame. I hope this family sees justice in this case.
February 28, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CHRISJIII (anonymous) says...
These monsters never need to see the light of day again!!!!!
February 28, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
noname (anonymous) says...
ColdBeer: In this case, public hanging would be the only suitable punishment for such a horrific act!
However, I feel those low-life scumbag should be tortured in the same EXACT manner in which they choose to torture their victim.
Totally Disgusting!
February 28, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
This case sounds like something out of one of Ann Rule's case file books.
Any so called human that can do something like that to another human needs to be put to death....slowly.
It's a shame that his death will be quick and painless compared to what he put that poor man through.
February 28, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
I'm confused, are there two men named William Oliver Dickerson?
See, http://www.judicial.state.sc.us/opini...
25164 - State v. Dickerson, Sup. Ct. (2000)
February 28, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
lilly, I see your confusion. If these two are one and the same then how could this guy have been back on the street?
February 28, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pratt07 (anonymous) says...
This is so disgusting. What did Mr. Roper do to deserve such a heinous death? These men should be strung in public and left there to be tortured themselves. These people make me sick.
February 28, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LH1230 (anonymous) says...
Palmetto Man- Enough with the Scarlett Wilson comments. She has a good share of convictions and handles the solicitor's office well. I've seen her in action in the courtroom and she is great. Until you have concrete proof that she is worse than any previous solicitor, I'd appreciate it if you would lay off the unfounded comments. Besides, she is not responsible for the outcome of every trial in Charleston County. Last I checked, judges and juries are involved, too.
February 28, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
da9 (anonymous) says...
They have to let people like this out of prison/jail to make room for non-violent drug dealers. He'll get a couple years. Sad to say.
February 28, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Girleygirl (anonymous) says...
"Dickerson, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, forced the 5-foot-6-inch, 160-pound Roper into the apartment, police said."
Another bully that I hope gets the death penalty.
"The victim and the Dickersons knew each other, Francis said, adding that Rouse is a friend of Armond Dickerson."
Who needs enemies when you got your friends/associates that will torture you like they did this victim
February 28, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cpreston1906 (anonymous) says...
I hope and pray that justice is served. Gerard was a father and a very good friend of mine. He and I both served in the Military, He Served in the Navy and I served in the Army. We would get together on weekends with other friends for Football games, basketball games, played video games. He was a good person and didn't deserve this. But God is in control of the situation. For a while after this happened I just cried day and night because of the brutality of the crime, and because he was a little guy, and those animals were much bigger and stronger than he was. I pray everyday for his family especially for his mother. I ask that everyone continue to pray for her because unless you have lost a child by any manner of death, we can never know her pain and sorrow. I am currently intouch other friends of Gerard's that I Graduated from the College of Charleston with, and although they are out of State now, they still are very active in praying,that these guys and girl never get out of jail again. We talk about the fun times we had playing spades, or watching him and the other guys play All-Madden Football on PS2, That's how we keep him with us. We all loved him very much and will continue keep his memory alive in our hearts.
God bless you all, continue to pray for his family.
February 28, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
To: RTC,
Schuyler Kropf just explained to me that there are two men named William Oliver Dickerson, they are father and son. I was having heart palpitations fearing it was the same man.
February 28, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
pezlady (anonymous) says...
I am definitely praying for his friends and family, cpreston1906! I am sorry that you all had to go through that! My mind cannot even grasp the fact that people could do such things to another human being! And so close to us....I shiver! I hope these brothers pay for what they have done- I am praying for that, too!!
February 28, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
Our sincere condolences to the Roper family and friends, our prayers are with you.
February 28, 2008 at 3:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
lilly, thanks for getting that cleared up. I guess murder runs in the family.
February 28, 2008 at 6:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cpreston1906 (anonymous) says...
Hey guys, thanks for the continued prays for his family, I never met those guys, I don't associate with animals like that but I left for military right after high school, I spent most my years out of the state and out of the country until i got back here from Fort Bragg, NC and started at CofC. So I don't know the nature of there relationship. I looked at the guys pictures in the news paper and never seen any of them in my life, I just hope no one else gets to see them ever again. I hope Life in Prison means Life in Prison!!!
February 29, 2008 at 6:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
alliecat0817 (anonymous) says...
What is really horrific is that this article doesn't even begin to describe the extent of the torture and mutilation. Gerard is my husband's first cousin. I can't wait to see justice done.
March 9, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Postandcourier.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Postandcourier.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full Terms and Conditions.
Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by signing up!
Thank you for your interest in this story. The comment thread for this article has been closed.
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Shared
- No weapons or explosives found in SUV on Ravenel Bridge
- McKissick wins high school coach of the year award from NFL
- Man in Ravenel Bridge incident cited for reckless driving
- High Speed Chase Dashcam
- Tax refund delay possible
- Will Sheriff Al Cannon pay for slap?
- Big stores opposed in Mount Pleasant
- Inquiry focuses on friend of treasurer
- WISE COLUMN: Towne Centre getting 2 new restaurants
- S.C. State transit center moves ahead
