Update: South Carolina Fire Chief Murdered, Wife and Two Friends Charged

By Anne-Kathryn Flanagan, The State (Columbia, S.C.)

ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — Three women have been arrested and charged in connection with the stabbing death of Branchville Fire Chief Alan Oakley.

Melody Turner Oakley, 40, Ann M. Anderson, 47, and Carrie Ashley Brown, 25 have been charged with murder and conspiracy.

Oakley was stabbed to death on Saturday.

Arrest warrants say the three women “planned and carried out the murder of Alan Oakley by stabbing him in the neck resulting in his death.”

According to SLED Spokesman Thom Berry, the three women are being held at the Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center.

SLED and the Branchville Police Department investigated the case.

Original Report – Dec. 30
A South Carolina Fire Chief was murdered, stabbed to death over the weekend, The Times and Democrat reported.

Alan Oakley, 48, was found dead in his home Saturday, fatally stabbed in the neck, officials announced Monday.

WIS TV reported that the chief’s wife, Melody, was in custody, but it was not clear if she was being charged in connection with the killing. Her Facebook page indicates she is a Paramedic and works at a local college. The couple had been married since 2006.

The Times and Democrat reported two people were in custody, but that no charges had yet been filed Monday night.

Oakley was 25-year veteran and had served as the department’s Chief for 13. He worked full time in apparatus maintenance for the local Fire District and was President of the county’s firefighter association. He will be given full military honors at his funeral Saturday in recognition of his service in the National Guard, WIS reported.

Can’t view video? Try This Link

wistv.com – Columbia, South Carolina |

This is where Alan Oakley lived with his wife. Neighbors say both were quiet. #sctweets #wis10 pic.twitter.com/5YEqdHhmle

— Carolyn Callahan (@carolyncallahan) December 31, 2013