Suvechha Sarkar
In June 1998, 24-year-old William Brent Poole was shot dead while on a regular walk in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It prompted a homicide investigation that initially considered the murder a result of a violent robbery. However, that soon changed as detectives discovered a larger conspiracy behind the crime. A&E’s ‘Sex, Money, Murder: Dancing With Death’ examines the circumstances surrounding the murder and how investigators caught the killers. The episode also features interviews with his loved ones and the officials who were closely involved in the case.
Brent Poole Was Walking on the Beach When He Was Shot Twice in the Head
William Brent Poole arrived as a bundle of joy in the lives of William Eugene and Agnes Smith Poole on January 24, 1974. He was born into a loving household in Mocksville, North Carolina, where he grew up developing a close bond with his brother, Craig Poole, and sister, Dee Mishler. Brent’s loved ones often praised him for his incredibly kind and compassionate nature. He graduated from R.J. Reynolds High School in the class of 1992. He then began his professional journey by becoming an ASE Master-certified Mechanic at Charlotte Mack Truck Sales. Brent was also a man of faith, which led him to join the Calvary Baptist Church.
After stepping into adulthood, Brent crossed paths with Kimberly Renee Sumney. After she turned 18, the couple tied the knot, surrounded by their family and friends. Just a year later, they welcomed their daughter, Katie Lynn Poole, into the world. According to reports, Renee eventually began working part-time as an Exotic Dancer. Despite occasional difficulties in their marriage, she and Brent seemed to have worked out their differences. On June 9, 1998, they went on a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Things took a grave turn when Brent and Renee were walking along the beach, and a man wearing black pants, a ski mask, gloves, and a long-sleeved hooded sweatshirt tackled him to the ground.
Shortly after, the masked man shot Brent twice in the head before stealing the 24-year-old’s wallet, diamond engagement ring, and watch and fleeing the scene. Renee quickly approached a law enforcement officer near the beach and informed him about the situation. When more officials arrived at the scene, they found Brent dead and his wedding ring nearby in the sand. However, they were unable to find any murder weapon. On July 5, a man discovered a wet wallet near the beach, containing $9 in cash, Brent’s driver’s license, photographs, and two ATM cards, among other items. The autopsy report determined that his cause of death was two gunshot wounds to the head.
Witness Statements Helped Uncover a Conspiracy Behind the Murder
Once the investigation began, officials first questioned Renee since she was present at the scene. According to reports, she gave them a description of the shooter before telling them that the gunman asked both her and Brent for money and jewelry. In her statements, she claimed that when the attack happened, she had closed her eyes but heard the 24-year-old asking the shooter to spare his life. Court records suggest that when detectives questioned a dancer at the club where Renee was working, the dancer said she had introduced Brent’s wife to a man named John Boyd Frazier. The dancer went on to say that Renee had asked John for her ring after the murder.
Upon further investigation, a couple came forward and informed the authorities that they had seen a “suspicious” and heavily clothed man twice near the beach on the day of the murder, as per the records. In their statements, they said that they also saw the man running toward the beach. Reports state that the couple later identified the man from police photo lineups, and it turned out to be John. When investigators spoke with his supervisor, they learned that he had applied for days off from work on June 8, June 9, and June 10, 1998. According to court records, they also discovered that just a day before the murder, John borrowed a car from his friend before returning the vehicle a day after the homicide took place.
As per police records, when officials questioned John, he was unable to provide an alibi and claimed he was sick and at home alone. Another report indicates that during Renee’s questioning, she initially gave conflicting accounts but later said that she and John had planned the crime. However, she insisted that she didn’t know that John would actually carry out the plan. It is worth noting that Renee later recanted those statements, claiming she made them under coercion. She was arrested in June 1998, initially for obstruction of justice, but the charge was later dismissed. She was then indicted on the charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. John was also arrested that month and charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, and armed robbery.
Renee Poole and John Frazier Are Incarcerated at South Carolina Prisons Today
Renee’s jury trial began on November 8, 1999, during which the judge allowed statements from her recanted “confession” to be admitted as evidence. The prosecution claimed she didn’t want to divorce Brent and wanted full custody of Katie. They also presented testimony from several witnesses emphasizing her relationship with John. On the other hand, the defense claimed that Renee’s recanted confession was obtained under psychological pressure and through misinterpretations. They also presented psychological testimony regarding her emotional condition after Brent’s death. On November 13, 1999, the jury found Renee guilty of all charges. She was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for murder.
Renee also received a concurrent 5-year prison term for conspiracy. John’s first jury trial commenced in 2000, during which the prosecution presented several witnesses, including the couple who identified the defendant from photo lineups. On the contrary, the defense challenged the eyewitness identification and the reliability of the prosecution’s evidence. John was convicted of all his charges and was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. He received a 30-year prison term for armed robbery and another 5-year term for conspiracy, to be run concurrently. Although Renee later appealed her judgment, it was affirmed on January 16, 2002. Several of her subsequent appeals and petitions were also denied.
John also appealed his convictions, and they were overturned on January 5, 2004, due to evidentiary errors. His retrial began in May 2005, and he was found guilty of his charges. John received 30-years each for murder and robbery, and received another 5-year term for conspiracy, to be run concurrently. In November 2007, after another appeal, his robbery conviction was overturned. However, the Supreme Court reinstated that conviction on February 16, 2010. In August 2017, Renee’s defense team sought post-conviction relief for her, but no reports indicate any progress on the matter. She is currently incarcerated at the Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, South Carolina. As of writing, John is serving his sentence at the Livesay Correctional Institution in Spartanburg, South Carolina. His projected release date is October 19, 2029.
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