Officials are investigating disturbing Amazon product reviews that could be linked to suspected killer Todd Kohlhepp, who was arrested last week after a woman was discovered chained up inside a metal container in South Carolina.
The Greenville News reports that an Amazon user identified as "me" and linked to a wish list for a Todd Kohlhepp left 140 product reviews on padlocks, tactical gear, gun accessories, knives, and other items, such as CDs and DVDs dating back to May 2014.
On one review of a knife posted on Sept. 13, 2014, which has been removed from the site, the reviewer writes: “havnet (sic) stabbed anyone yet...... yet.... but I am keeping the dream alive and when I do, it will be with a quality tool like this...”
Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Bobo told Greenville News that investigators were aware of the Amazon reviews, but called them secondary to the ongoing search of Kohlkepp’s property.
On Thursday, 30-year-old Kala Brown, who along with her boyfriend have been missing since August, was found on the 95-acre property in rural Woodruff, S.C.
According to police, investigators were walking through the property when they heard banging coming from inside a 30-foot metal container that was padlocked. When they opened it, they found Brown inside “chained like a dog” around her neck. She later told police she had been there for two months.
In one of the reviews linked to the Amazon account for a Master Padlock the reviewer writes: “solid locks...have 5 on a shipping container...wont [sic] stop them...but sure will slow them down til they are too old to care.”
Police later discovered the remains of Brown’s boyfriend, Charles “David” Carver, 32, buried in a shallow grave on the property. They now suspect that Kohlhepp, a 45-year-old registered sex offender, may have been responsible for as many as seven killings.
The missing persons case of Brown and Carver drew increased attention in October when new messages and photos began appearing on Carver’s Facebook page (which has since been taken down). Over 50 new posts reportedly appeared on the page, including one claiming that Brown and Carver had gotten married.
Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright speculated last week that Kohlhepp could have been behind the mysterious Facebook messages.
“It’s super possible that he was doing that, you know, to try to get people off of his trail,” Wright said. “But that’s just a thought. I don’t know that to be for sure.”
On another review for a padlock, the Amazon user wrote: “now my locks have locks... place is hotel california now..”
Greenville News points out that one of the mysterious posts from Carver’s Facebook page on Oct. 1 also referenced lyrics from the Eagles song “Hotel California.”
BuzzFeed News contacted Amazon about the account under investigation but did not immediately hear back.
Kohlhepp has been charged so far with one count of kidnapping and four counts of murder.