Greenville County Sheriff's Office
Mark Allen Wright
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
Jack Foreman
Investigators with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office have arrested 49 year-old, Mark Allen Wright of Travelers Rest and 38 year-old, Jack Corris Foreman of Pahokee, Fla., in connection with the Sept. 25 W.E. Willis incident.
During the course of investigation, investigators discovered that Wright, Foreman and several other unidentified suspects conspired to commit the brutal attack and robbery.
The incident began at the W.E. Willis store, located at 3601 Hwy. 414 and involved the suspects waiting in the bushes for Mr. Willis to exit his store. Once he did so, the subjects brutally attacked him, before binding him with zip-ties.
The suspects then kidnapped Mr. Willis and took him to his residence on Sweetgum Road, where they encountered Mrs. Willis inside. The suspects bound Mrs. Willis and continued to torcher the victims for 30-40 minutes before ultimately shooting and stabbing Mrs. Willis.
The suspects ransacked the residence and fled in a vehicle belonging to the Willis’ with an undisclosed amount of cash.
At approximately 7 a.m., on Sept. 25, investigators discovered the vehicle belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Willis and collected a piece of evidence that was eventually tested for DNA. Investigators later collected another article of evidence, near Bates Crossing Road, that also contained DNA; leading investigators to the names Foreman and Wright.
On Nov. 7 investigators conducted several search warrants, including one in Palm Beach County, Fla., and subsequently apprehended Mark Allen Wright and Jack Corris Foreman.
Sheriff Johnny Mack Brown said he was extremely appreciative to the entire team of investigators, including assisting agencies: The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Asheville City PD, the Department of Public Safety, SLED, the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and various federal agencies.
The investigation is still ongoing and law enforcement is asking for anyone with additional information to call Crime Stoppers of Greenville at 23-CRIME (232-7463.