The State from Columbia, South Carolina • A7

I A A I A MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012 WWW.THESTATE.COM PAGE A7 METRO Stacy Furtick, North August Arliss Hallman, Leesville Morgan Isaac Jr, Camden George Jefferson, Columbia Doris Jones, Elgin Faye Kinard, Prosperity Col. Lloyd Meekins Dillon Lola Rawls, Columbia Floyd Smith, Irmo Callie Columbia Linda Vernon, Columbia MIDLANDS RICHLAND COUNTY Second club security guard killed For the second weekend in a row, a Richland County security guard at a night club has been shot and killed. In the latest incident, security guard Jimmy Moti of West Columbia was shot in the abdomen and died during surgery early Sunday morning at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital, said Richland County coroner Gary Watts. The incident happened at El Toro Bar and Grill, 806 St. Andrews Road, shortly before midnight Saturday.

Moti had refused to let three men go inside after he questioned the authenticity of one identification, according to the Richland County department. was a fight between the security guard BRIEFLY SEE BRIEFLY PAGE A9 Columbia police shut down two methamphetamine labs in separate local motels Sunday afternoon. Five people, including a mother and her adult son, were arrested. A tip from Crimestoppers led Co- lumbia police officers to a room at the Studio Plus Hotel, 180 Stone- ridge Drive, where they found sus- pected meth in a plastic police spokeswoman Jenni- fer Timmons said. Acting on another tip, officers then raided the Extended Stay America motel, 450 Gracern Road, where they also smelled strong chemical odors and found suspected meth cooking in a plastic bottle, Timmons said.

Police contacted SLED for help in cleaning up the labs and gathering evidence. Fumes from methamphet- amine labs can contaminate rugs, curtains and furniture in a room and pose a danger to people, especially children and the elderly, according to drug experts. At Studio Plus, Cody Lee Hobirk, 33, Ashley Ellet, 25, and Krista Su- chy, 25, were charged with manufac- turing meth and possession of heroin. At Extended Stay America, Robin Columbia police shut down hotel, motel meth labs Tips lead authorities to separate lodgings; 5 people arrested By JOHN MONK SEE METH PAGE A10 The investigation into the disappearance of 15-year-old Gabrielle Swainson has expanded into one of the Richland County Depart- largest and most in- tensive searches in years. More than 40 county and federal law agents are now on the case full time, Sher- iff Leon Lott said Sunday night.

The agents include a be- havioral scientist from the famed psychological unit at Quantico, Lott said. Other FBI agents from out-of-state are in town working the case, along with local federal agents, Lott said. Lott said late last week that he was asking for FBI help in the case. But his Sunday state- ments were the first time he has said just how many resources the FBI is devot- ing to the missing teen, who lived in the North Crossing neighborhood, less than a mile from the Village at Sandhill mall. is a major case for Lott said.

crime lab, report- edly one of the best, has also had analysts and scientists working full time on the case, he said. are on this and have a command post set As search expands, sheriff that we will find Gabbiee Gabrielle Swainson RICHLAND COUNTY DEPT. By JOHN MONK SEE MISSING PAGE A10 After eight months in jail, the mother of a missing Columbia boy is expected in court this week for a trial on a charge of lying to police about her now 2-year-old whereabouts. The trial of Zinah Jennings is ex- pected to begin today. The 23-year-old mother has been jailed since December as police have in- vestigated the disappearance of her son, Amir.

Jennings was charged with un- lawful conduct toward a child after authorities say she told them several inconsis- tent and false stories about who is caring for the boy, whose second birthday was earlier this summer. Police say Jennings, who is due to give birth to a second child in several weeks, has re- fused to tell investigators where she left Amir. Speaking to police after a Christ- mas Eve car crash in downtown Co- lumbia, Jennings first said she had no children and then said the boy was with relatives and friends in cit- ies from Atlanta to Charlotte. Inves- tigators say they chased down Jen- stories in several states but ar- rested her after several dead ends and much frustration. Prosecutors and police have said blood was found on blankets in car.

Acting on a tip, agents later searched a wide rural area near Columbia but found no sign of him. Jennings, who is pregnant, has not been charged in the death, and her attorney has long said that police have unjustly accused the mother for simply refusing to speak with them. Defense attorney Hemphill Pride also asked a judge not to allow the blood evidence to be used at trial, saying the blanket would implicate his client and arguing that the blood TODDLER LAST SEEN IN NOVEMBER Zinah Jennings, the mother of Amir Jennings, who was last seen by family members in November, attended a pre-trial hearing in late July at the Richland County Courthouse. TIM Columbia mother going on trial in disappearance Woman, 23, charged with unlawful conduct Amir Jennings By MEG KINNARD The Associated Press SEE TRIAL PAGE A10 Irmo leaders are trying to settle on features for a park being developed as the home of the nationally known Okra Strut. The plan is being pared down after preliminary es- timates showed it could cost up to $2 million double the amount the town has set aside.

going to have to scale Mayor Hardy King said. King is concerned the project will be onerous for the community of 11,000 residents. But other town leaders said the park can be devel- oped in phases as finances allow. The original proposal is wish list with every- thing we Councilman Barry A. Walker Sr.

THE OKRA STRUT Irmo mulls design of new park for festival Proposal scaled back to fit inside $1 million allocated to build it By TIM FLACH SEE STRUT PAGE A9 Members of the S.C. Bar Young Lawyers Divi- sion delivered more than 135 backpacks of school supplies to Watkins-Nance Elementary School, W.A. Perry Middle School and The Cooperative Ministry recently as part of its annual Backpack Drive. It is the fourth year the group has teamed up with the Cooperative Min- istry to collect the supplies for various schools across the Midlands. to everyone who donated supplies and volunteered their time, YLD was able to provide backpacks and necessary school supplies to students who really need said Paul Hoefer, backpack committee chairman.

look forward to this project each year, knowing that we get to help students start their year off The Young Division in- cludes members of the S.C. Bar younger than 36 and those with less than five membership. UPS SERVES UP HOPE The UPS Foundation recently presented $5,000 HELPING HANDS Bryan Caskey and Lir Derieg unpack supplies to deliver to an area school. SPECIAL TO THE STATE A strong verdict for ABCs BERTRAM RANTIN thestate.com (803) 771-8306 SEE RANTIN PAGE A9 ugusta.