No Justice

   
        "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." -Romans 12:19  Living in a sinful world many times we don't see Justice being served, but we have a promise from God that sin will be punished through God's wrath

   

Photo Courtesy of "80's Images" @ Photobucket.com

   
     What were you doing in 1983, do you remember?...

• The final episode of M.A.S.H. aired with more than 125 million viewers tuning in to watch.  
• The "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign debuted. 
• Vanessa Williams becomes the first African-American Miss America.  
• Singer Karen Carpenter died of complications from anorexia nervosa at the age of 32.  
• Microsoft word was launched.  
• Cabbage Patch Dolls are sold in shops and becomes a success. 
• President Reagan signed legislation that makes the third monday in January a national holiday commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. 
• McDonald's introduced the McNugget.  
• Tom Brokaw becomes lead anchor for NBC Nightly News. 
• Swatch introduces their first watches.  
• Star Wars Episode VI:  Return of the Jedi, National Lampoons Vacation, and Flashdance were popular films.  
• The Police "Every Breath I Take", Johnny Cash, Phil Collins, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie "All Night Long", and Michael Jackson "Beat It and Billy Jean" were popular musicians.  
• The A-Team, Mama's Family, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Outsiders, and Cujo were what people were watching.

     It seemed like 1983 was a good year, but not for everyone.

     It was the month of October, the people in our small town of Dacusville were getting ready for fall.  The leaves would be changing soon to all the beautiful yellows, oranges, and  burgundys.  The air would turn crisp and cooler, and you would start seeing all the fall decorations being placed around the homes in our community.  The Buckner family, part of our Dacusville community, didn't know that on October 4th, 1983 everything was about to change forever for them. Catherine Hester Buckner, aka, Cathy Buckner was a young, carefree, smart, talented, and beautiful girl. Cathy was 16, just starting out her life when a tragic event would end her life before it had the chance to begin.

   

Cathy Buckner

     Cathy and her family were from the Peter's Creek Community area of Dacusville. On October 4th Cathy went missing.  Four days prior she was walking to meet her sister Donna at the stop sign right down the road from her house. Donna was going to take her to try for her license. Donna never got the chance to take her because four days later Cathy's partially clothed body was pulled from the Saluda River. It would be three months later until they found out who killed her.

    The Hyder family were neighbors to the Buckners. Curtis Lee Hyder and his dad helped clear the road to the family cemetery so they could bury Cathy. The Buckners paid $5,000 to the Hyders to have the land cleared.  Curtis helped with the whole process, knowing all along he was the one that murdered Cathy.

     During the investigation, in The Sumter Daily, "Man charged with Murder of Teen", Sheriff Stone said his deputies had questioned Curtis Hyder on "at least two other occasions during the three month investigation."  Stone said Hyder voluntarily came to the sheriff's department Thursday after he was invited by investigators, and a confession was signed minutes later." Curtis was a 22 year old man who confessed to killing Cathy, "Hyder claimed during his trial that he never meant to hurt Miss Buckner, but panicked when she threatened to claim he raped her if he didn't give her $50.  He said the incident occurred after the girl asked him for a ride." -The News and Courier, "Court Upholds Life Sentence For Marietta Man"

Curtis Lee Hyder

     Donna Kelly Bolt, Cathy's sister said that "Curtis has stated a few times that he thought she was 18, it shouldn't matter what age she was, it doesn't give him the right to take her life or anyone else's. Curtis knew what he was going to do to her that day.  He chased her from the road down into the woods, and then he drug her back to his car and from there took her to another location to have his way with her. Curtis had Cathy in the trunk of the car while everyone was riding around looking for her. He took her to one more location where he put her under the sand pump barge in that cold river and she took her last breath."

      Curtis knew all along that he was the one and yet he was able to stand there with shovel in hand waving and smiling while the funeral procession drove to the grave site. Curtis sat at the Buckner's dinner table and ate with them after the funeral, all along knowing that he was the one, he was the one that committed the murder, he was the one that everyone was looking for. They found Cathy with strangled marks around her neck. When they performed the autopsy, they also found water in her lungs. They couldn't prove rape because in 1983, they didn't have tests that they have today.

     Every year since 1998 this family has to relive this tragedy. Donna and her family have to go to Columbia to ask that Curtis Lee Hyder not be released from prison on parole.  Donna stated, "This murderer should never be released.  The devastation that Curtis put our family through, she was the baby of the family, just starting to explore what high school was all about."  Every year when they go before the board they ask Curtis why he had to take her life. Donna said," I cannot imagine the fear and pain she must of went through."  He went on for three months as though he knew nothing.  Donna said, "Not one bit of guilt was about him." When they go before the board each year Donna said that Curtis states that he would like to be released so he can go on with his life, to be a tax paying citizen, and to be with his girlfriend. Donna said, "Cathy doesn't get that chance! So in our heart and mind he should never get out of prison.  We feel like he should carry on his life behind the prison walls so he would never be able to hurt another child, or anyone else. We feel as a family that we should have the right to keep our families safe and out of reach of a man who could kill with such vicious determination."

     This happened in 1983, but Donna said that Cathy is still very much missed.  She said, "Not one day goes by that I don't think of her.  I still cry for her knowing the fear and pain she must of felt and the realization that she was going to die." I sat and talked with Donna and you can tell the pain is still so very real for her. Cathy and Donna's parents are passed away but Donna promised her mother that she would continue to go before the parole board every year to keep Curtis in jail.

     Has this family experienced Justice for what they have had to endure?

     I know this is not a story that makes this a special place to live, but we still live in a special place with special people that come together in a community for one another. I felt like this story needs to be told because I see how Donna pleads for people to please help her and her family by writing to the Parole Board so that Justice can be served. When Donna started out getting people to send letters, 200 were sent, last year 1800 were sent. This family is dear to my heart, I grew up with part of them and my brother dated Cathy for a short time. You can help Donna and her family keep Curtis behind bars by writing a letter to the parole board.  Anyone over the age of 18 and from any state can write a letter.  Last year Curtis went up for parole in August, so please get those letters in!

The address is:
Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services
2221 Devine St., Suite 300
Post Office Box 50666

*Please include in the letter, Curtis' full name:  Curtis Lee Hyder and his SCDC #:  00121482,  Cathy's full name:  Catherine Hester Buckner

Thank you!

"Rest in Peace my dear sister, I love and miss you so much! 1967-1983"-Donna Kelly Bolt

Please say a prayer for this family, also for Curtis because God desires no one to perish, but "ALL" to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Sources:  Major Events of 1983. Year In Review. www.home.ibbsonline.com
                 What Happened in 1983 in Pop Culture, Prices, and Events. www.thepeoplehistory.com
                 What Happened in 1983? Crack Open the 80's Time Capsule and Learn. www.liketotally80's