STATE BRIEFS

Arrest made

in fatal shooting

FLORENCE — A teen wanted for killing another man during a fight earlier this month in a convenience store parking lot has turned himself in.

Brandon Paul Wallace, 18, was accompanied by his attorney and parents when he surrendered Tuesday morning, Florence Police Maj. Carlos Raines said.

Wallace is charged with murder in the Feb. 14 shooting death of 29-year-old Delantae Davis.

Davis was talking to a woman inside the convenience store when a man arrived at the store and started to argue with Davis, police said.

The two men began fighting in the parking lot, and as someone tried to break them up, one man pulled a gun from his pocket and shot Davis in the chest, Raines said.

Police are still looking for the person that drove the suspect away from the store, Raines said.

Body found

in Lake Wylie

ROCK HILL — A York woman missing since before Christmas has been found floating in Lake Wylie.

Boaters discovered the body of 39-year-old Margaret Matthews on Monday night near a boat landing by the state Highway 49 bridge, York County deputies said.

Deputies and the York Police Department are investigating Matthews’ death as a homicide, but neither agency would release more details, including the cause of death or whether they have any suspects.

Family members reported Matthews missing Jan. 5 after she wasn’t at her niece’s funeral. They said they hadn’t seen her since few days before Christmas.

Investigators have not determined how long Matthews was in the water, Coroner Doug McKown said.

Inmate takes

his own life

EDGEFIELD — A man charged with killing his wife while her two sons were in their home has committed suicide by hanging himself in the Edgefield County jail, authorities say.

Maurice Kenneth Wilson, 32, used his jail jumpsuit to hang himself in his cell around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, about 16 hours after he was arrested in Laurens County, Edgefield County sheriff’s said. wife spokesman Cpl. Robbie Harter said.

Wilson died at the hospital an hour later, Harter said.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the suicide, Harter said.

Wilson’s 25-year-old wife, Gwendolyn, was stabbed late Sunday night with what appeared to be a pocketknife more than 20 times, including at least twice in the heart, Coroner Thurmond Burnett said.

Maurice Wilson then tore the phone from the wall and their two sons, ages 3 and 9, were left alone with their mother’s body until Monday afternoon, when their grandmother came by to check on them, authorities said.

It was the first homicide in Edgefield County since 2002.

B.C. Moore’s

stores sold

FLORENCE — The Cherawbased department store chain B.C. Moore’s is being bought by Stage Stores Inc. of Houston for $37 million.

The transaction, which has been approved by both companies’ boards of directors, is expected to close within 30 days.

B.C. Moore’s has 78 stores in the Carolinas, Alabama and Georgia, including 32 stores in South Carolina.

Stage Stores Inc. owns the Peebles store chain in addition to the Stage, Bealls and Palais Royal stores. There are Peebles stores in Conway, Georgetown and Barnwell.

Nine Moore’s stores will be closed and the remaining 69 stores will be remodeled, restocked and reopened as Peebles stores. The grand openings of the newly converted Peebles stores will begin in July.

‘‘The acquisition of B.C. Moore’s represents a logical next step for us following our successful integration of Peebles,’’ said Jim Scarborough, Stage’s chairman and chief executive officer.

(Associated Press)