MONCKS CORNER -- The man accused of killing a woman and then himself Friday had just resigned as an agent from the State Law Enforcement Division days earlier in light of allegations he had assaulted the same woman after she ended their relationship.
Authorities say Charlie Boyette, 61, shot Mary Ann Cox, 44, as she was leaving work about 5:30 p.m. at the Southcoast Community Bank on East Main Street. He then turned the gun on himself. Both were dead when police arrived on the scene, investigators said Friday.
Cox had sought help from authorities before the shooting.
Cox told Berkeley County sheriff's investigators on Monday that she had been in a romantic relationship with Boyette for more than a year and that he became upset when she tried to end it on July 4th, according to an incident report released on Saturday.
Cox told investigators she didn't want the investigation into an alleged assault to go any further but asked that he not contact her any more.
Deputies told Boyette to stay away from Cox and forwarded her complaint to SLED Chief Mark Keel, who suspended Boyette. Keel asked the sheriff's office to investigate the allegations because of their severity and to avoid a conflict of interest, according to a statement released by SLED Saturday.
Boyette resigned Wednesday in a letter his attorney sent to Keel.
Boyette was hired by SLED in 2000 and was a supervisor in the state agency's intelligence department.
