Mt. Pleasant, S.C. (WCIV) — Shock and sadness. That’s how people in a Mount Pleasant community are feeling after a quadruple murder the weekend.
Charleston County Sheriff’s Deputies say 22-year-old Lovequawn Scott killed four family members on Saturday morning. He’s charged with four counts of murder.
Deputies say 69-year-old Rose Manigault, 42-year-old Kenya Manigault and 15-year-old Faith Manigault were apparently beaten to death.
On Von Kolnitz Road in Mount Pleasant, James B. Edwards Elementary School is an integral part of the neighborhood. And one of the people who made it that way is being remembered by those who worked with him.
"You can ask any student who's pretty much ever been to that school and everybody knows Mr. Joe," said Jake Rambo, former principal of the school.
He has fond memories of 72-year-old Joseph Manigault. Rambo was a student when “Mr. Joe" worked as a head custodian at the school. When Rambo became principal years later, Manigault had retired but stayed to work part-time. Rambo says he was so loved by everyone, the cafeteria was named in his honor.
"No matter who he's speaking to he's always the same. I mean he is super upbeat. Super positive. He's always got a smile on his face. And he's always willing to help others," he said.
"How does something so awful happen to somebody who was so wonderful?" lamented Sarah Fitch from Mt. Pleasant Seafood Market on Shem Creek.
Fitch said she never forgot the man who helped her and countless others when she was a student at James B. Edwards in the 1980's.
"We had this cheer, you know. And it was just a childish cheer, you know? 'Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate? Mr. Joe. Mr. Joe. Mr. Joe Manigault!' I mean everybody loved him," Fitch recalled.
Now, those who knew and loved him grieve his death.
"It's still just very shocking. And I just don't get it," Rambo said.
Manigault has a daughter who’s a teacher assistant at the school.
“Mr. Joe” is also being mourned in the shrimping community. Managers tell us he was known to work the docks of Shem Creek, and was a shrimp header for the old Wando Shrimp Company. Many people east of the cooper are grieving his death.
A prayer vigil for the family is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Greater Goodwill Church, 2818 N Hwy 17, Mt Pleasant.
A funeral will be held Saturday, according to A.R. Kollock Sr., the pastor at church.