Woman charged with accessory to missing man's murder pleads guilty

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An Alcolu woman charged more than two years ago for providing aid to two individuals responsible for the death of a missing Manning man sentenced last week in a Clarendon courtroom. Barbara Deann Judy of 1266 Timberline Lane in Alcolu was originally charged with accessory before the fact to a murder in the death of Emanuel Torres, whose body was found March 3 by a local farmer off Fawn Ridge in Manning. Torres’ family had reported him missing Feb. 27, with cousin Jocelyn Burden saying he “is a homebody and doesn’t typically go anywhere.” Family said he was last seen walking near his home on Arlene Road between 8 and 9 p.m. Feb. 27. Judy pleaded guilty April 4 to accessory after the fact to a felony A, B, C or murder, receiving a sentence of five years in prison, suspended to time-served and 18 months' probation. Judy had been at the Clarendon County Detention Center since her arrest March 1, 2015, and the charge of accessory before the fact to murder was dropped, according to the Clarendon County Public Court Index. The two defendants responsible for Torres' death pleaded guilty the same day at the Clarendon County Courthouse, but the record of Judy's plea only became available this week. Shanta Arleene Reason, 36, of 1029 Antler Drive in Summerton, pleaded guilty to one count each of murder and armed robbery, receiving sentences of 35 and 30 years, respectively.Travis Terrill Starks, 27, of 6426 Bill Davis Road in Summerton, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder, receiving a revocation of already ongoing probation and a sentence of 13 years from Cothran. Reason and Starks, who are married, were arrested in early May 2015 in Pennsylvania, located there after an extensive, two-month search by the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office for their roles in the death of Torres. An autopsy performed the day after Torres’ body was found confirmed that the 24-year-old Manning High School graduate died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head.