No arrests in slaying of ex-cabbie
COLLETON — Freddie Steward had lived in New York City before retiring to his native Colleton County. In the Big Apple, he had worked as a taxi driver.
Freddie Steward
"He drove a cab for years, never got hurt," sister-in-law Beautie Steward said two days after the 80-year-old was shot to death in the rural community where he lived.
Steward was found on Bethel Road about 12:30 p.m. Monday, a few miles from his home on Steward Lane.
A passerby found his body near the rear of his gray 2008 Ford Focus, which was headed away from his home, Colleton County Sheriff George Malone said.
He said Steward suffered multiple gunshot wounds and had been dead for less than an hour.
No arrests have been made, but deputies have conducted interviews, and Malone said he is confident the case will be solved.
To offer tips
To provide information about Steward's death, call the Sheriff's Office at 1-843-549-2211 or Crime Stoppers at 554-1111.
"I knew this man personally myself, and he was just a good man," Malone said.
"For somebody to do something like that to somebody of that age is beyond comprehension to me. He certainly wasn't a physical threat to anybody," Malone said.
The sheriff said there was no indication that Steward's car broke down or had a flat tire, and investigators are studying whether he might have been robbed.
Pervious story
80-year-old man apparently shot, published 10/28/08
"Maybe this will all come out when we resolve it," the sheriff said.
Steward was the father of two daughters, four sons and had several grandchildren, his family said.
He was a member of Red Root United Methodist Church in Ruffin.
Koger's Mortuary in Walterboro is handling the arrangements.
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Comments
This article has 11 comment(s)
Posted by billyjoejimbob on October 30, 2008 at 4:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Unlike the sheriff, I think doing that to a person of ANY AGE is wrong.
Posted by ms_lady2u on October 30, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Blessings to the loved ones, "Eye for Eye" for the killer!
Posted by NativeSon on October 30, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Who would commit such a senseless crime? Now that democrats have forced prayer and morality instruction out of public schools, any child born since 1970 is capable and more so now with the advent of killer type video games and drug crazed entertainers spewing filth in music, movies and the media. The sins of the fathers are visited to the third and fourth generation!
Voters, beware for whom you choose! Four more years of bushism is far better than four years of moral depravity, sin and debauchery over running America not to mention the free ride for illegals promised by obama.
Posted by coolfreaknbeans on October 30, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My condolences go out to the family of this poor man. Dear God who could do this? What happened to the day and age where someone would just rob you? You know, as long as you cooperated you would be fine,just out of some money?(not that robbery is great) Now no one is content with "just" robbing you or stealng your car. They kill you for no damn reason. It's a scary world we live in.
Posted by ms_lady2u on October 30, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NaiveSon- I hear ya,you know that you can move to Canada right??
Posted by grannyofseven_2 on October 30, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If this can happen in a small town where everyone knows just about everyone, we are never going to be safe again.
I feel like we are in that movie "Escape from New York"
God help us. He was a very kind man never hurt anyone. My prayers and thoughts to the family.
Posted by RTC on October 30, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is truly sad when a person can survive all those years in NYC as a cabbie only to return to their native state to be murdered.
What could an elderly gentleman like this possibly have done to enrage anyone that much?
Is there a possibility that he was the victim of a gang initiation? Drug addict?
I hope they catch the person(s) responsible and give them the death penalty, which is very much underused in this state.
Posted by ColdBud on October 30, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
RTC, that was my first though... a gang initiation?
Posted by eyfigueroa on October 30, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For such a rural area, I would have to agree w/RTC & Coldbud. Must be some sort of initiation. I can’t even imagine a robbery going that wrong, especially since it’s obvious he was an elderly gentleman.
Granny, ‘escape from New York’. I would chuckle except there’s a small part of me that worries it may someday become true, especially in the more urban areas.
I just feel so sad for his family. As RTC said, to survive NYC only to die in the ‘country’ during his golden years. So so sad.
Posted by walleyedwoman1215 on October 30, 2008 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I live in rural Colleton County. This is so bizarre. Was it an attempted carjacking? Did some punk approach Mr. Steward as he left home to demand a "handout"? It sounds like this man worked hard to provide for his family. Might be a veteran, also. Could have been your father or mine. What a senseless crime.
Posted by grannyofseven_2 on October 30, 2008 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Remember this is the same couty that the deputy was shot and killed in