In June 2006, Myrtle Beach Police opened a murder case after investigators found two women robbed, then shot to death inside the home they rented on Pridgen Road.
It took investigators 11 months to track down two of the men authorities think killed the women, and it took another five months to charge a third with accessory to the killings.
Police charged 39-year-old Jimmy Lee Sessions of Myrtle Beach with two counts of murder and one count of armed robbery in connection to the killing.
Sessions had bench warrants on him after police charged him with trafficking crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute crack in Nov. 2005, but Sessions ran after he missed his court date on the charges, according to court records.
Investigators also charged 30-year-old Christopher Maurice Stephens with accessory before and after the murders.
Stephens’ younger brother, 24-year-old Marshall Stephens, faces accessory before and after the fact in connection to the robberies and killings.
Investigators said witnesses told police Sessions was the one who robbed and killed the women and that Sessions told information that “only the killer would know,” according to police affidavits.
Detectives said Christopher Stephens helped Sessions plan the robbery and murders and “received proceeds” from the robbery and that Stephens helped Sessions avoid prosecution, according to the affidavit.
In Oct. 2007, authorities arrested and charged Marshall Stephens after police said witnesses tipped police off that the younger Stephens also had possession of stolen property from the killings and that Marshall Stephens knew about the murders.
Sessions was charged with multiple counts of first-degree burglary, grand larceny in 1987 and served three years in prison and three years probation.
In 1993, Sessions served eight months in prison for possession of crack.
In 1995, Horry County authorities charged Sessions with armed robbery with a deadly weapon, pointing and presenting a pistol at a person, kidnapping, strong armed robbery, first-degree burglary, unlawful carrying a pistol and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, but the charges were dropped according to court documents.
Horry County authorities charged Christopher Stephens with armed robbery with a deadly weapon and failure to stop for a blue light in 1995, but the charges were later dismissed.
In 1996, authorities charged Stephens with possession of a stolen vehicle, but those charges were also dismissed, according to court records.
In 1997, Stephens served 18 months probation for drug charges and in 1998; Stephens served one year in prison after police charged him with sale/delivery of a pistol, according to court records.
In 2000, Stephens served two and one-half years in prison on assault and battery charges after attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime charges were dismissed against him, court records show.
Marshall Stephens lives with his mother in New York and News13 was not able to obtain his criminal record as of this posting.
Jury selection begins Monday morning in Conway for all three defendants, according to the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s office.
You can count on News13 and scnow.com to update the trial throughout the day.
