Preacher foils kidnapping

Woman Escapes Fake Cop Hours After High School Graduation

The victim had graduated high school just 24 hours before the attack, according to CTV News. Around 5:00 AM, she was walking from her brother's home toward her mother's house when Willard approached her near Chukker Creek Apartments on Banks Mill Road. He claimed to be a police officer, handcuffed her with toy metal cuffs, and put her in the back of his teal green Cadillac DeVille — a car with no backseat.

She became suspicious when the "officer" kept asking the same questions repeatedly. About 45 minutes after her capture, Willard pulled into a wooded area and began searching his trunk. She climbed over the seat and escaped through the open driver's side door, running directly into the road — where Moore's tractor-trailer was headed south.

Dashcam Footage Proves Key to Catching the Suspect

Moore, 53, pulled over immediately. A second motorist named Glen also stopped, called 911, and used tools to remove the toy cuffs from the woman's wrists, according to WRDW. Moore's dashcam recorded both the victim's escape and Willard's Cadillac swerving toward her — footage that investigators used to track down the suspect.

Moore, a 27-year Army veteran and pastor of Amazing Grace Ministries in Denmark, SC, deflects praise. "I just see it as a divine assignment from God," he told Associated Press. "Had not I been there with the dashcam… they probably wouldn't have caught the footage that needed to be catched." His wife Betty, an associate pastor, called the moment a "distribution from God."

Suspect's Criminal History Raises Fear of More Victims

Willard has a criminal record spanning two decades. He pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge in 2024, according to The State. The Aiken County Sheriff's Office now believes he may have targeted other women before this incident. Investigators have urged anyone with information to come forward.

Kidnapping under South Carolina law carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The charge of impersonating a law enforcement officer, by contrast, is currently a misdemeanor — carrying a fine of up to $500 or up to one year in jail. The case has renewed calls to upgrade that charge to a felony when it is used to carry out a violent crime.

Victim Lost Phone, Diploma, and ID During the Ordeal

During the abduction, the woman lost her phone, Social Security card, and her high school diploma, according to CTV News. Community members have since stepped up to help her replace those documents. The incident has also prompted the Aiken County Sheriff to remind the public: if a plainclothes person in an unmarked car tries to pull you over, turn on your hazard lights and drive to a well-lit, crowded area — or call 911 to verify the stop.