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Fake Hate Crime Uncovered
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Report; Posted on: 2012-10-24 21:10:36 [ Printer friendly / Instant flyer ]
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She said 'they' poured flammable fluid on her and set her on fire for wearing an Obama t-shirt.
Two days after multiple law enforcement agencies began an investigation
into the attack and burning of a Winnsboro woman at Civitan Park,
authorities now believe the wounds were self-inflicted.
According
to Winnsboro Police Chief Lester Thomas, evidenced gathered at the
scene of the incident shows 20-year-old Sharmeka Moffitt's initial
claims that she was attacked and set on fire turned out to be false
claims made up by Moffitt.
"This
is a case in which the investigators had to pursue the facts that were
presented," Thomas said. "It's been a very disturbing case for everyone
involved."
On Sunday, officers responded to a 911 call around 8
p.m. near the walking trail at Civitan Park to find Moffitt with burns
covering her body. It was less than a minute from the time the call from
Moffitt came into the 911 center that officers from the Winnsboro
Police Department and the Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office were on the
scene at the park located on Hwy. 15.
Moffitt could not identify
the race of her attackers, but said three men wearing "T-shirt hoodies"
doused her in a flammable liquid and set her on fire at the park. The
responding officers found no suspects or vehicles at the park where the
attack allegedly occurred.
Moffitt was taken to Franklin Medical
Center in Winnsboro and then transported to LSU Medical Center in
Shreveport, where it was determined she had burns on over 60 percent of
her body.
State Police arrived by helicopter with its crime lab
team to gather evidence shortly after Moffitt was taken for medical
assistance. Law enforcement officials gathered evidence from the scene
all night, finishing its scaling of the crime scene by Monday morning.
After
analyzing the evidence at the State Police Crime Lab, it was discovered
Moffitt's fingerprints were on the cigarette lighter and the lighter
fluid recovered near the wooded area around the crime scene.
"There is more physical evidence along those lines that back this up," Thomas said.
At
a news conference held at LSU Medical Center on Monday evening,
Moffitt's mother, Edna Moffitt said her daughter was in critical
condition with third-degree burns on her arms and other areas and would
undergo surgery Tuesday.
False rumors regarding the incident were
spread on various social media outlets Sunday night just hours after
the incident took place. On many of the Twitter and Facebook posts,
users speculated the attack was a hate crime and Moffitt was attacked
for wearing a President Obama t-shirt when she was "raped and burned
alive".
Moffitt's mother and Thomas confirmed Monday that the Obama T-shirt rumor was false and there was no evidence of sexual assault.
A
racial slur and the letters, KKK, that were written in toothpaste on
Moffitt's vehicle were linked to female DNA, authorities said.
"All
of the evidence is pointing back to the victim inflicting this upon
herself," Thomas said. "No evidence has shown any other person was
involved."
Thomas said that no matter the outcome of these types
of tragic events, it's always a heavy burden on law enforcement and the
victim's family.
"My heart truly goes out to the Moffitt family,
who are more than just members of our community, they are my friends,"
Thomas said. "I hope we can come together as a community and pray for
their wellbeing and a quick recovery of Sharmeka."
Candlelight vigils for Moffitt were held Monday night around Winnsboro before the facts of the case were revealed.
Franklin Parish Sheriff Kevin Cobb said the unity shown by the community on the heels of the incident was inspiring.
"I
want to thank the community, who under these stressful times they
allowed law enforcement to do their job to seek information, collect
evidence and follow the facts," Cobb said. "Although I think what she
did was wrong and had major consequences not only for her, but
throughout our community and our country. There's something wrong here,
and we need to help individuals like this. In the same way our community
came to support her as a victim, I still hope the community will
support her emotional and physical recovery."
While Thomas and
Cobb said no charges have been filed against Moffitt at this time, the
case evidence will be turned over to the 5th Judicial District
Attorney's Office for review.
Thomas and Cobb said the
collaborative efforts by their departments with the State Police and FBI
helped in solving the case in a timely manner.
Source
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News Source: Franklin Sun
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