Mother of Suspected South Carolina Serial Killer Todd Kohlhepp Found Dead
The mother of accused South Carolina serial killer Todd Kohlhepp has died, according to the Spartanburg County, South Carolina, Coroner’s Office.
The body of 70-year-old Regina Ann Tague was found by her husband inside their home on Sunday morning, authorities confirm to PEOPLE.
Detectives found no apparent signs of foul play. An official cause of death is expected to be released later Monday.
Kohlhepp, a 45-year-old real estate agent, has been charged with murdering seven people.
He allegedly killed four of his victims - Beverly Guy, Brian Lucas, Scott Ponder and Chris Sherbert - during a 2003 mass shooting at Superbike Motorsports in Chesnee, South Carolina. Authorities claim he has confessed to the quadruple slaying.
The bodies of Charlie Carver, Johnny Coxie and Meagan Coxie were also found at Kohlhepp’s 96-acre property in Woodruff, South Carolina.
He has yet to enter a formal plea to the charges against him and court records do not list an attorney. He remains behind bars awaiting trial.
Kohlhepp was taken into custody in early November, soon after police freed missing Kala Brown from a metal shipping container on his land. Brown, 30, is believed to be Kohlhepp’s only surviving victim.
Authorities claim in court documents that Kohlepp used the same crate where he allegedly kept Brown to restrain Meagan for several days before shooting her to death on Christmas Day 2015 and burying her in a shallow grave.
In addition to his murder charges, Kohlhepp is facing a number of weapons and kidnapping charges as well as a single count of sexual battery by the use of aggravated force for allegedly repeatedly raping Brown.
Investigators believe Kohlhepp killed Brown’s boyfriend, the 32-year-old Carver, who vanished with her on Aug. 31, 2016.
Brown told police she watched Kohlhepp shoot her boyfriend in the chest three times, according to court papers. She also told investigators she was raped twice a day. Kohlhepp admitted to these sexual assaults, court records allege.
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Johnny and Meagan Coxie, ages 25 and 29, respectively, were reported missing in December 2015. Their bodies were allegedly found close to the metal container where Brown was kept.
Authorities have yet to determine a motive in all of the killings.
Not long after his arrest, Kohlhepp’s mother came to her son’s defense, telling CBS News that he was “misunderstood.”
“Todd was not a monster,” Tague said, claiming that the four victims in the bike shop had “bullied” her son.
“He’s not even close to it ... He wasn’t doing it for enjoyment,” she said. “He was doing it because he was mad, and he was hurt.”
