‘We were speechless’: Homeowners say neighbors placed burning cross next to their house

CONWAY, S.C. (WMBF/Gray News) - A South Carolina couple says they are questioning the safety of their neighborhood after encountering a scary situation involving their neighbors.

Shawn and Monica Williams said they walked out of their house over Thanksgiving weekend to find a burning cross facing their home.

“There was a cross burning about eight feet from our fence,” Monica Williams said. “We were speechless because we’ve never experienced something like that.”

The couple moved to Conway after retiring but said their neighbors have made the last two years a living nightmare.

“He’s blatant with the ‘N-word,’” Monica Williams said. “He chased off our surveyors. He’s chased off people from the water and sewer department.”

The couple said they installed a fence, hoping to find peace, but it hasn’t worked.

And the cross burning was the final straw. So, they called Horry County police.

Officers arrested the neighbors in question 28-year-old Worden Butler and 27-year-old Alexis Harnett.

They are facing charges of second-degree harassment.

According to a police report, Hartnett yelled racial slurs at the Williams while officers were talking to her.

The police report also stated that Butler posted the Williams’ address on social media, saying he was “going to make them pay.”

Butler is no stranger to the law. Police records show that he has been previously arrested for assault and disorderly conduct.

The Williams say their neighbors’ arrest is not enough.

“They were out the next day,” Monica Williams said. “So, what are we to do? Live next to a cross-burning racist who’s threatened to cause us bodily harm. We feel there are not enough laws in place to deal with this.”

South Carolina is one of two states without a hate crime law.

A few cities in South Carolina have passed hate crime ordinances or resolutions. However, Conway is not one of them.

The city’s mayor Barbara Blaine Bellamy said there’s nothing the city can do and it’s up to the state.

Butler did not immediately respond to phone calls for a request for comment.

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