On 26 December 2011, Beverly Hope Melton (30) stopped off at Jack's convenience store (located at 408 Main Street, Jefferson, South Carolina) to fill her car up with gas. As she pulled up to the pumps, Nickolas Jermaine Miller (23) - the black man who would choose to stalk, rape and kill her - was inside the store buying beers. The pair didn't know each other and had never met. Surveillance cameras captured Beverly walking into the store to pay. As she entered Miller exited, passing only inches away from her. Miller returned to his vehicle, a red Chevy, and waited patiently for Beverly to leave. As she got back into her car and drove away, Miller began to follow at a distance. The surveillance footage marked the last time that Beverly was seen alive.
A few miles down the road, Beverly realized something was wrong. A red Chevy had followed her at every turn, and was now edging closer and closer to her back bumper. Growing increasingly concerned, Beverly called her grandmother who lived 2 miles away. Beverly told her that "a black man from the store" was following her, and she felt "afraid". Her grandmother told her not to stop for anything, and to drive straight to her house. Sadly, Beverly never arrived.
At some point shortly after the phone call, Miller ran Beverly off the road. Her car was later found abandoned on Angelus Road in Jefferson. Miller attempted to rape her at the roadside before forcing her into his own vehicle, where he kept her captive, driving her around for more than an hour. Investigators believe Miller kept stopping the car to rape Beverly, before he finally stopped in Kershaw County. He forced Beverly out of the car before beating her to death with a baseball bat. He dragged her broken body behind two barns, returned to his car and drove away.
Investigators identified Miller from the surveillance footage. He was charged with murder in Kershaw County and kidnapping and criminal sexual assault in Chesterfield County. Miller showed no emotion during his hearing, and received life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The stalking, kidnap, rape and murder of Beverly Hope Melton was only ever reported in local news media. It never made regional, national or international news.
A few miles down the road, Beverly realized something was wrong. A red Chevy had followed her at every turn, and was now edging closer and closer to her back bumper. Growing increasingly concerned, Beverly called her grandmother who lived 2 miles away. Beverly told her that "a black man from the store" was following her, and she felt "afraid". Her grandmother told her not to stop for anything, and to drive straight to her house. Sadly, Beverly never arrived.
At some point shortly after the phone call, Miller ran Beverly off the road. Her car was later found abandoned on Angelus Road in Jefferson. Miller attempted to rape her at the roadside before forcing her into his own vehicle, where he kept her captive, driving her around for more than an hour. Investigators believe Miller kept stopping the car to rape Beverly, before he finally stopped in Kershaw County. He forced Beverly out of the car before beating her to death with a baseball bat. He dragged her broken body behind two barns, returned to his car and drove away.
Investigators identified Miller from the surveillance footage. He was charged with murder in Kershaw County and kidnapping and criminal sexual assault in Chesterfield County. Miller showed no emotion during his hearing, and received life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The stalking, kidnap, rape and murder of Beverly Hope Melton was only ever reported in local news media. It never made regional, national or international news.