Suspect in Summerville murder charged in Moncks Corner case; medical examiner identifies victim

SUMMERVILLE, SC (WCSC) – The man charged Wednesday in the killing of a 71-year-old Summerville woman has also been charged in a 2022 Moncks Corner case, police said.

Roger Lavar Smalls, 35, is charged with the Sept. 22, 2022, killing of Susie Kochever, Moncks Corner Police Chief Steve Young said at a news conference Thursday morning. Young said Smalls is charged with murder, burglary, first-degree arson, second-degree possession of a weapon during a violent crime and desecration of human remains.

The new charges come a day after Smalls was charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, first-degree burglary, first-degree arson and desecration of human remains in connection with the death of 71-year-old Priscilla Yager. Summerville police said he confessed to her murder after being arrested Tuesday.

Yager's body was found in her Halcyon Drive home after firefighters extinguished a reported fire there, Wright said.

Suspect in Summerville murder case was “person of interest” in Moncks Corner murder case

Young said authorities were called to a fire at the Woodlock Apartments near Bonnoitt Street in the early morning hours of Sept. 22, 2022. After firefighters extinguished the fire, they entered the apartment and found Kochever's body.

“We also found wounds consistent with an attack, so our detectives and forensics team responded and began their investigation,” he said.

Moncks Corner investigators identified Smalls as a suspect early in the investigation and filed a separate charge against him for distributing obscene material after discovering he had sent an inappropriate photo to a neighbor, Young said.

“Last Tuesday night, with the assistance of the Summerville Police Department, we were finally able to gather enough information and evidence to charge him with Susie's murder,” Young said.

He said they were convinced that Smalls broke into Kochever's house and there was a confrontation between the two.

“She was severely beaten and killed, and the large fire was set with the intent of destroying evidence,” Young said. “The break in this case was a direct result of the cooperative partnership and close relationship between the Summerville Police Department and the Moncks Corner Police Department.”

Young said Moncks Corner detectives spoke with Summerville detectives and determined that the Smalls were involved in Kochever's murder.

“We noticed some similarities between the two (cases),” Young said. “We stayed in touch.”

Young revealed that her detective was also able to get a confession from Smalls regarding Kochever's death.

Wright praised investigators and the quick action of the nearby supply team

According to Summerville Police Chief Doug Wright, a Dominion Energy crew working near Yager's home noticed smoke and tried to make contact with anyone inside. When that failed, they called 911 to report the fire.

The Summerville Fire Department and Police responded, and after firefighters extinguished the fire, they found Yager's body in the fire.

“I'll tell you, homicides are very difficult to prosecute, especially when fire is involved,” Wright said. “We've talked about what fire does to evidence in previous press conferences. Fortunately, Dominion Energy employees were able to spot the fire and call us, so we were able to collect a lot of evidence.”

Dorchester County Coroner Paul Brouthers said Yager was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. The cause of death has not been determined, but an autopsy is planned.

Captain Chris Hirsch said Wednesday that Yager had suspicious wounds.

Wright called Smalls “a diabolical arch-criminal” and said he believed there would have been no end to “the attitude he has toward the crimes he has committed.”

“And he probably would have continued his actions if he had not been taken into custody,” Wright said.

Wright said investigators determined Smalls was dropped off at Yager's home in the 100 block of Halcyon Drive around 6:55 a.m. Tuesday. Wright said Smalls spent some time at the home, but Yager's vehicle was spotted on Central Avenue in Summerville at 10:47 a.m.

Dominion Energy employees reported the fire about 18 minutes later. The fire department was on site within minutes, he said.

When investigators discovered the victim's vehicle was missing, police issued an “attention” alert to other law enforcement agencies. The Charleston County Sheriff's Office spotted the vehicle and initiated a chase that ended with the use of firefighting equipment, Hirsch said.

Authorities identified Smalls as the driver of the victim's vehicle.

Hirsch said Smalls confessed to Yager's murder.

Wright ended the meeting Thursday morning by saying they had contacted other law enforcement agencies to see if there were any similarities to the cases they were working on.

“I encourage anyone who has been a victim of this type of incident or has been in a similar situation where they may have survived and not told anyone – perhaps you know this suspect and were afraid to come forward. I ask that you please come forward and notify your local authorities so we can investigate the situation,” Wright said. And it doesn't even have to be this man, but if anything you've heard today that bears similarities to something you've experienced yourself or been a victim of, we strongly encourage you to do so.”

The Summerville Fire Department, Charleston County Sheriff's Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol, Charleston City Policy Department, United States Marshals and Dorchester County Coroner's Office are assisting in the investigation.

Wright called the investigators the “real heroes.”

“We don't often give credit to the people who are doing God's work behind the scenes in law enforcement, and I know many of them don't want to be out here because that's not their job,” he said. “They're team players. No one on this team is more important than the other, but it's their cohesion that they're able to continually collaborate and work together to provide closure for the families of the victims.”

Wright said his team has successfully solved all of the Summerville homicides this year and called the arrest in a two-year-old case in Moncks Corner “phenomenal.”

Wright also said he believes the case is “strongly viewed as a potential death penalty case,” but noted that such a decision would be made by prosecutors.

At a hearing Wednesday afternoon, a judge refused to set bail for Smalls.

Young said Smalls will face a bail hearing Thursday night in connection with the charges in Moncks Corner.

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