Murder victim laid to rest
By TIM GULLA Ledger Staff Writer tim@gaffneyledger.com

The Rev. Sidney Norton made an admittedly difficult request of Thomas Turner Sartor's family on Tuesday.

Standing beside an oak-colored coffin draped in fall flowers, the leader of New Heights Baptist Church asked the family of the 52- year-old former Gaffney resident to forgive those who murdered their loved one.

"Nobody deserves the kind of end that came to him," Norton conceded. But he still made the plea. "Forgiveness is the hardest thing anyone of us will ever have to do," he said. "But I want you to know, it's the most rewarding."

A somber farewell to Sartor drew about 110 friends and family members to Oakland Cemetery Tuesday afternoon, while a police manhunt for Sartor's alleged killers still is unfolding.

Wanted for Sartor's murder are 52- year-old John Franklin Jackson and 49-year-old Jacqueline Highberger, both of the Myrtle Beach area.

Sartor, who was living in Myrtle Beach, disappeared in April while on his way to a Miracle League baseball game in Spartanburg and the rental car he had been driving later was found in Tennessee. His body wasn't discovered until last week in Pageland in Chesterfield County. Police said he died from blunt force trauma.

Investigators in Chesterfield County, North Carolina, Tennessee and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are working on the multi-jurisdictional case.

While police won't speculate on a motive, Sgt. Wayne Jordan of the Chesterfield Sheriff's Department confirmed Sartor's ATM card was used to withdraw money from his account at a Monroe, N.C., ATM.

Sartor's brother Robb said $500 was taken.

Many called Sartor's death tragic on Tuesday. His involvement with disabled children at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind, his work with youth sports in general, and his love for his family were fondly remembered.

"If you ever wanted to see his eyes light up, let him talk about his children," recalled close friend Paul Millard, who coached football with Sartor.

Millard said he was left with many lasting memories. But Sartor's influence stood out the most.

"There were at least three times Turner saved my life," he said of Sartor, who freely offered his shoulder for Millard to lean on during difficult times in Millard's own life.

"He (Sartor) would talk about all I did for him," Millard said. "All I could think about was how God used him to save my life."

Following his retirement from the Cherokee County Parks and Recreation Department and moving to Myrtle Beach, Sartor spent 2006 working as clubhouse manager for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans baseball team, the Class-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.

While he was welcome to return to the team for the 2007 season, Pelicans general manager North Johnson said Sartor declined. "He had other things he wanted to get done," Johnson said.

"Our clubhouse guy has to be here every day of the season," he said. "It's a full-time job and then some."

Still, Sartor had offered to come back as needed to help the new clubhouse manager get acclimated.

Early in the baseball season, Johnson said the ball club tried to contact Sartor, but never received a reply. A few days later, they received word from one of Sartor's daughters that he hadn't been heard from for about two weeks.

Recent news of Sartor's murder was nothing short of shocking, Johnson said.

"That's something you never expect to happen," Johnson said. "Particularly to a guy everybody liked."