Full Notification

On March 15, 1988 at 8:00 a.m., a newspaper carrier, 60-year-old Bertha Neaman, was reported missing by her employer having last been seen at approximately 3:00 a.m. at the Mid-Island Plaza on Hilton Head Island. A short time after Bertha Neaman was reported missing, her Ford van was found abandoned off of Marshland Road. That same morning, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Bertha Neaman was found deceased on the ground behind the New Church of Christ on Spanish Wells Road, Hilton Head Island.

On March 16, 1988, a forensic autopsy was performed at the Medical University of South Carolina, where pathologists determined Bertha Neaman died as a result of gunshot wounds and her manner of death was homicide. Additional studies were to be performed, including a sexual assault examination, prior to issuance of a final autopsy report. On May 3, 1988, pathologists’ final autopsy report indicated that Bertha Neaman’s sexual assault examination showed that sexual activity had occurred in proximity to her death.
 
In 1988, the Federal Bureau of Investigation examined evidence collected at Bertha Neaman’s autopsy and from the crime scene at its laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. Analysis of evidence revealed the presence of semen, but the blood type/group technology of the time failed to yield any information that would conclusively identify the source of the semen.

The investigation was ongoing and, in 1999, items from the Bertha Neaman investigation that were previously submitted to the FBI Forensic Laboratory were submitted to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Forensic Laboratory for analysis using the newly implemented polymerase chain reaction short tandem repeat DNA technology. From 1999 into 2000, blood/saliva standards from numerous persons of interest, to include Eckerin Frazier, were collected by Sheriff’s Office investigators and submitted to SLED for comparison with evidence from this case. According to SLED DNA analysts, none of the persons of interest were identified through DNA analysis.
  
In 2000, and after several interviews with witnesses, probable cause was developed to charge Eckerin Frazier in the death of Bertha Neaman. On June 12, 2000, after discussions with then Solicitor Randolph Murdaugh III, testimony regarding the Bertha Neaman investigation was presented to the Beaufort County Grand Jury, to which it returned a true bill, directly indicting Eckerin Frazier for murder. On May 23, 2001, Frazier entered into a plea agreement through his attorney and pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for Bertha Neaman’s killing. Frazier received a sentence of 25 years for the voluntary manslaughter and an unrelated armed robbery charge. Frazier’s DNA profile was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and he is currently incarcerated at the Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina.
 
As DNA technology and its sensitivity had markedly improved, and since the source of the semen detected at Bertha Neaman’s autopsy had not been identified, Sheriff’s Office investigators discussed re-examining the evidence with analysts of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Services Laboratory. After that discussion, and on January 22, 2019, a forensic request was submitted by investigators to perform DNA analysis on items of evidence from this case.

Sheriff's Office Forensic Services Laboratory analysts completed a report of the DNA analysis on March 26, 2019, which revealed a male DNA profile from semen on evidence collected during Bertha Neaman’s autopsy. Analysts also reported finding the same male profile from semen in DNA mixtures obtained from two additional items of evidence. The male profile from semen found on the evidence collected at Bertha Neaman’s autopsy was uploaded into CODIS and, on April 12, 2019, SLED CODIS analysts reported that the profile matched Eckerin Frazier.
 
Yesterday, Sheriff’s Office investigators met with a Beaufort County magistrate and presented the facts of this case, including the DNA match of Eckerin Frazier to evidence collected at Bertha Neaman’s autopsy. The magistrate found that probable cause existed to issue a warrant for Frazier’s arrest for Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree.

The arrest warrant was entered into the National Crime Information Center and the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) was notified to put a detainer on 55-year-old Eckerin Frazier, who is scheduled for release in 2021. Arrangements will be made to transport Frazier from SCDC to Beaufort County, where he will be served with the arrest warrant and receive a bond hearing for the charge.
 
DNA analysis continues to be performed at the Sheriff’s Office Forensic Services Laboratory on evidence from this and other cold cases.

We appreciate your partnership and continued commitment to the safety of our community.