DENMARK, S.C. — A South Carolina man has been sentenced to more than four decades in prison after admitting to killing his girlfriend and setting her body on fire inside a car, a crime that has devastated the victim’s family and community.
Jarrett Haskell Davis, 28, pleaded guilty Monday to murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, third-degree arson, and desecration of human remains, according to court documents. He received a 43-year prison sentence for the murder charge, with additional time added for the other offenses.
Investigators said Davis killed his girlfriend, 25-year-old Megan Bodiford, around April 25, shortly after she sent an alarming text message to a friend that read: “If you don’t hear from me in 30 minutes, he killed me.” Another message from Bodiford warned, “He has a gun,” according to FITSNews.
Authorities discovered a burned-out vehicle containing human remains about two miles from Bodiford’s home in Denmark, South Carolina, roughly 60 miles south of Columbia. The remains were later identified as hers.
Bodiford’s cousin, Stephanie Nickens, told WIS that the young mother had been reaching out for help in the days leading up to her death. “She reached out for help,” Nickens said, describing the situation as “gut-wrenching” and recalling how fearful Bodiford must have been during her final moments.
At the time of the murder, Davis reportedly had an outstanding domestic violence warrant, raising questions about whether authorities could have prevented the tragedy. “If he would have been locked up the way that he was supposed to be the first time, maybe he wouldn’t have even gotten a chance to get this far with her,” Nickens said.
Bodiford was the mother of three young daughters, ages 7, 4, and just 4 months old. Her family has since created a GoFundMe to support the children and honor her memory.
“I want everyone to focus on what a beautiful soul she had, just a wonderful mother that she was,” Nickens added. “She loved being around people. If you look on her social media, you see so many friends coming together and posting memories that they have of them with her.”
