Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Woman missing since August found chained ‘like a dog’ in metal container

Her boyfriend is still missing and a suspect is in custody

Justin Carissimo
New York
Friday 04 November 2016 01:22 GMT
(Kala Brown/Facebook)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Kala Victoria Brown, a South Carolina resident who disappeared in August, was found alive chained like a dog inside a metal container in a Woodruff property, the Spartanburg sheriff announced on Thursday. Her 32-year-old boyfriend Charles David Carver, who also went missing in August, is still missing but his car was found on the property.

Deputies arrested Todd Kohlhepp, a 45-year-old registered sex offender, who owned the property. Ms Brown told authorities that four separate bodies might be held on his 100-acre property. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said that investigators are trying to make sure that they aren’t dealing with a serial killer. He also believes the suspect was friends with the victims. "I don't think this was a random act," he told reporters. The couple first went missing over the summer after they failed to show up for dinner with friends.

Authorities said that Ms Brown was locked in a 30x15 metal container for two months with a metal chain wrapped around her neck. They explained that investigators were searching the property when they heard her banging from inside the storage container. Deputies were originally alerted by reports of bear traps on the property thanks to information from a sex crime investigator. An excess of weapons and ammunition were also recovered on the property.

"He’s currently incarcerated," Sheriff Wright told reporters. "We’re trying to get all this sorted out and figure out what we’re going to charge him with. One of the charges will be kidnapping, it could be murder. It could be a number of things."

Mr Kohlhepp is listed as a sex offender stemming from a 1987 kidnapping conviction in Arizona. He’s currently being held at the Spartanburg County Detention Center and will likely face kidnapping charges.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in