2 indicted in kidnap of teens in city|[5/19/05]
Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 19, 2005
Federal indictments alleging kidnapping and carjacking have been returned against two people accused of abducting two Vicksburg teens and driving them to South Carolina.
Annette Myrtis Pierce Thiem, 42, of Florence, S.C., and Ronald Wayne Shugart, 39, of Coolidge, Texas, face one charge each of kidnapping and carjacking, said Sheila Wilbanks, a spokesman for the Southern District of Mississippi U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Both were in federal custody in Madison County without bond this morning pending initial court appearances, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshal’s office said. They would probably be brought before a judge in Jackson early next week, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dowdy said.
The two are accused of kidnapping Shane Gilmore, 17, and Heather Pritchard, 15, at knifepoint while the teens were eating breakfast in their car about 9:30 a.m. May 1 at the Mississippi River overlook across from the Dixiana Motel.
The suspects are accused of driving the two teens in Heather’s silver Dodge Neon.
The day the teens were reported missing was a Sunday, and the teens said they had met friends at the overlook for a fast-food breakfast before attending Highland Baptist Church. Suspicion that they were missing was reported to authorities that afternoon after Heather began missing appointments with family members.
About 18 hours later, the car they were in was in a wreck on Interstate 26 near Laurens, S.C.
Shane said he worked to free himself from the rear of the compact car and reported what had happened to a South Carolina state trooper who arrived at the scene about 4:30 a.m. Eastern time May 2.
Shugart and Thiem were arrested at the scene.
The teens reported that they were forced at knifepoint across Washington Street and inside the motel, where they were kept in a closet for a few minutes before all four left in the car. They did not report being robbed or otherwise harmed.
The prison term for people convicted of kidnapping in federal court is from 20 years to life and that for carjacking is up to 15 years. Each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
The abduction took place from federal property, part of the Vicksburg National Military Park. Federal jurisdiction could also be claimed because the teens were taken across state lines.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury meeting on the Mississippi Gulf Coast because it was the first available grand jury for the Southern District, which includes Vicksburg, Wilbanks said.
The indictment noted that Thiem has also identified herself using Pierce as her last name and not using Thiem, Dowdy said.