Elizabeth Thomas

Myrtle Beach

Assistant News Director at WPDE-TV (Conway, SC)

Perpetually curious lover of life, travel, news & music, good food & good people. Murrow Award-winning newsie. Asst. News Director @wpdeabc15

Featured in: Favicon

wpde.com

mirror.co.uk Favicon

usatoday.com Favicon

dailystar.co.uk Favicon

walesonline.co.uk Favicon

manchestereveningnews.co.uk Favicon

cell.com

charlotteobserver.com Favicon

dailyrecord.co.uk Favicon

11alive.com + 109 more

Articles

Body cam released in Ocean Blvd shooting amid calls for transparency

1 week ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — After calls from victims and civil rights activists, authorities have released body camera footage in the deadly late-April shooting on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach. WARNING: The video inside this story is graphic. Viewer discretion is advised. The Myrtle Beach Police Dept. also released a timeline of events it says are connected to the officer-involved shooting on the boulevard.
Mayday called at 2-alarm Myrtle Beach house fire; firefighter hospitalized

1 week ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — A firefighter was taken to the hospital from the scene of a two-alarm fire in Myrtle Beach Thursday. Crews responded to the house fire on 48th Avenue North. During their response, a Mayday was called "due to rapidly changing conditions." All crews were able to get out of the home and are accounted for. Myrtle Beach Fire Dept. Cpt.
Man charged in deadly Myrtle Beach hit-and-run

2 weeks ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — Myrtle Beach police have made an arrest in a deadly hit-and-run earlier this week. Thursday, ABC15 obtained a warrant for John Benjamin Stokes, who's charged with hit-and-run, duties of driver involved in accident with death. The warrant states Stokes was driving a Dodge Journey when he struck the pedestrian and left the scene.
Covington Drive wildfire 98% contained

3 weeks ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas

A red glow looms over Carolina Forest from a large wildfire burning between Carolina Forest and International Drive on the evening of Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Credit: Michael Harman)
Florence PD ID's wanted man in Wednesday shooting

3 weeks ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas

FLORENCE, S.C. (WPDE) — Police in Florence are looking for a man they say is involved in a shooting Wednesday. Officers responded to the 100 block of East Roughfork Street in north Florence at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday. Thursday, Florence police announced Floyd Anthony Dingle was the suspect in the shooting. Dingle, FPD says, is already out on bond for attempted murder.
Pope Leo XIV's family tree shows Black roots in New Orleans

4 weeks ago | ca.news.yahoo.com | Elizabeth Thomas |Alondra Valle |Emily Chang

Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago-born man who became Pope Leo XIV on Thursday, has Black family roots in New Orleans, Louisiana, records show. ABC News has obtained several records, including U.S. Census records from the early 1900s, demonstrating that the first American pope's family tree reflects the complex racial history of this country. Both of Leo XIV's maternal grandparents, Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié, are described as Black or mulatto in several census documents.
SCOTUS rejects final appeal of Horry Co. death row inmate

1 month ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the final appeal of an Horry County death row inmate. The decision means Stephen Stanko no longer has any legal challenges to his murder conviction in Horry County. Stanko was convicted of murdering Henry Lee Turner, of Conway, in April 2025. FILE - 74-year-old Henry Lee Turner of Conway.
Lumberton bank employee stole nearly $80K from customers

1 month ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas

LUMBERTON, N.C. (WPDE) — A Lumberton woman stole nearly $80,000 from customers through her role at a bank. Jillian Scott, 31, pled guilty Wednesday to bank fraud and misuse of social security numbers, according to the United States Dept. of Justice. Scott worked as a remote customer call representative for State Employees Credit Union (SECU) and had access to personal identifying information and SECU account information of bank customers.
'Mislabeled' dashcam videos under review in Camp Swamp Road shooting investigation

1 month ago | wpde.com | Elizabeth Thomas |Caitlin Richards

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Horry County Police Chief Kris Leonhardt held a media availability Wednesday morning to discuss updates on the Camp Swamp Road shooting investigation. The Chief said there are seven dashcam videos under review for possible misconduct that have been turned over to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) as evidence in their investigation.
New details emerge in Horry County shooting probe; 2 officers ousted

1 month ago | abcnews4.com | Elizabeth Thomas

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Newly obtained documents are providing new details in a contentious Horry County shooting investigation involving a prominent North Myrtle Beach businessman that's led to two separations from the Horry County Police Dept. HCPD Patrol Division Sgt. Paul Damon Vescovi was terminated by the department last week. Vescovi was a 23-year veteran of the Horry County Police Dept.