PICKENS - Tiffany Souers’ accused killer confessed to the crime and two other sexual attacks that occurred days before the Clemson student’s death, authorities said.

Jerry Buck Inman was taken to Pickens County and arraigned Wednesday.

“He didn’t go there with the intention to kill her,” said Jefferson County Chief Deputy Bud McCoig. “But he did know that she was dead when he left.”

Inman would drive aimlessly looking for women, McCoig said, and didn’t intend to end up in South Carolina.

Advertisement

“He did say when he saw one particular one, he waited until she went to sleep,” McCoig said. “He thought she was asleep and that’s when he entered the apartment.”

At times during his confession, McCoig said Inman lowered his head “like he was ashamed” and referred to himself as an “animal.”

A woman in DeKalb County in northeastern Alabama says Inman tried to rape her May 23, cutting his way into the rural house through a vent in the floor, authorities said. A day earlier in Sevierville, Tenn., authorities say they believe Inman raped a 28-year-old woman in her home.

Friends found Souers’ body in her Central apartment May 26, where the Clemson University junior from the St. Louis area had been sexually assaulted and strangled with a bathing suit top, authorities say.

McCoig wouldn’t elaborate on three interviews he said were conducted with Inman on all three crimes, but said he confessed “in detail.”

The first interview lasted about an hour, McCoig said, and Inman indicated he had left Tennessee through Sevierville to Alabama.

“He was just driving around,” McCoig said. “He didn’t actually head toward South Carolina, he just ended up there.”

Asked if Inman was driving for the specific purpose of looking for women, McCoig said, “In my opinion, yes.”

At one point, McCoig said, “He did make a statement that he was just an animal.”

Inman also expressed concern for his mother.

“He said this was going to kill her,” McCoig said.

Inman, 35, arrived in South Carolina from Dandridge, Tenn. - where he was arrested Tuesday night near a relative’s house - in a white Central Police Department squad car that pulled into a secure garage at the Pickens County Detention Center about 2:15 p.m.

“It was a great cooperative effort among several law enforcement agencies,” said Tim Morgan, assistant Pickens sheriff, among a dozen officers who applauded as the door closed behind Inman and he headed for his arraignment.

Magistrate David Forrest declined to set bond, citing technical legal issues. Inman, already under a $1 million bond on a fugitive charge in Tennessee, wasn’t going anywhere.

The murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping charges in the Souers case were read to Inman and he was told of his right to a jury trial.

Inman, transported from Tennessee in jail garb of gray and white horizontal stripes, appeared in court in an orange jail jumpsuit. He was chained at the waist and legs and his hands were cuffed in front.

As the magistrate went down the litany, Inman nodded slightly and said, “yes,” when asked if he understood.

Greenville attorney Symmes W. Culbertson, Inman’s attorney, told reporters later that his client is “shell shocked” but “doing well and in good spirits.” Culbertson said Inman’s main concern is his mother, who has had long-standing medical problems.

Culbertson said he had met Inman for the first time just before the arraignment. He said he had been asked by parties, whom he would not identify, to represent Inman.

“Until presented with evidence otherwise, everybody is innocent,” Culbertson said.

Asked to discuss Inman’s confession, 13th Circuit Solicitor Bob Ariail declined to comment.

After the arraignment at the Law Enforcement Center, Inman was taken to a 6-foot by 8-foot concrete block cell furnished with a mattress and blanket.

Moving Inman to another jail because of the media attention has been discussed, Culbertson said. Culbertson said he sees no need for a move.

Culbertson said he soon will seek a preliminary hearing on the charges, the next legal step.

Regarding the Alabama case, McCoig, part of the task force in Dandridge, said media exposure about Inman prompted someone to call authorities because he matched a description of the assailant.

“We interviewed him and he indicated his involvement in the crime,” McCoig said.

When Inman would face a court in connection with those charges was unclear.

“We’re putting a hold on him,” McCoig said. “He’s gone back to South Carolina now. I think everybody wanted to go with the more serious one first.”

Al Schmutzer Jr., district attorney general for the 4th Judicial District of Tennessee, was working late in his courthouse office Wednesday piecing together plans to bring a case against Inman to the Sevier County grand jury on June 21 in an alleged rape on May 22.

He said DNA evidence and other evidence had been sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for processing and that he felt he had a strong enough case to keep Inman in Tennessee. But he agreed to allow authorities to extradite Inman to South Carolina, where he faces more serious charges.

McCoig said he and another agent arrested Inman about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday after staking out Inman’s father’s house.

“He came by that house and I pulled up behind him,” he said. “He tried to speed away and I got behind him with the blue lights. Once I got right on his bumper, he slowed down and pulled into a church parking lot where I arrested him.”

Authorities have said Inman was a construction worker, but Tony Bell, senior project manager for Colorworks Construction and Development, at a construction site across from Souers’ apartment, said Inman didn’t work there and he had never seen him.

“He didn’t do any work for us and wasn’t affiliated with us,” said Bell, who added that the company does background checks on everyone who works at the site and that he would have noticed Inman because the bald tattooed man would have stood out.

People in Clemson appeared relieved to know a suspect was behind bars. Clemson University President James Barker issued a letter to the campus thanking police.

“I know this development brings relief to many of us who were shaken by the murder,” Barker wrote in the letter. “I hope it also brings some measure of peace to Tiffany’s family.”

But questions remained.

“Why was he in Clemson,” wondered Clemson University junior Lauren Miller about Inman.

“Why did he target her,” asked Clemson sophomore Claire Marsh.

McCoig said Inman was still driving around this week.

“The day we were looking for him, he was on the interstate just driving,” he said. “He said he would just get on the interstate and drive.”
Staff writer Ron Barnett contributed to this report.