A South Carolina Mother, Her Toddler, And A Friend Attended A Gospel Concert Then Vanished

A South Carolina woman, her 2-year-old daughter, and the mother’s friend attended a gospel concert in 1987. They then disappeared while on their way home and none of the three has been seen or heard from since.

Sometime around 10:30 on the evening of April 3, Sarah Boyd, her toddler, Kimberly Janis Boyd, and the friend, Linda McCord, got into McCord’s blue Lincoln to make their way back from Waltersboro to Orangeburg County, where the two women both lived, according to The Charley Project.

An eyewitness later recalled seeing the Lincoln traveling around 30 to 45 miles per hour through Dorchester County with another vehicle, which the witness couldn’t describe, following behind.

Around 12 a.m. that night, Sarah’s husband, Phillip J. Boyd, returned from his job to an empty home. He initially wasn’t concerned, believing Sarah and Kimberly could be with relatives or McCord, and he went to sleep.

Around 6 a.m. on April 4, he contacted police and reported his wife and daughter missing. The following day, Phillip located the abandoned broken-down Lincoln in Dorchester County — but there was no trace of Sarah, their daughter or McCord. According to reports, the car had overheated after a freeze plug blew.

Three years later, in 1990, the missing mother’s credit card was used at a shopping mall in the area. Detectives noted the signature on the receipt wasn’t a match with Sarah’s handwriting and barely legible. Investigators were never able to determine who may have used the card or if the person had anything to do with the missing persons case.

The Dorchester Sheriff’s Office believes foul play was involved in the disappearances.

Anyone with information about the cold case is urged to contact the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office at (843) 832-0300.