Grenville Co. deputies arrest man accused in 2009 homicide

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Deputies in Greenville County announced on Monday that they have obtained a murder warrant for a suspect accused in the death of a woman in August of 2009.

According to a release from the sheriff’s office, Allison Southerland-Craine’s body was found under a bridge near Lakeside Road with multiple blunt force injuries. She was 24 when she died, deputies confirmed.

The suspect was identified as Jeffery Ray Philips, 38, according to the sheriff’s office. Phillips is already in custody in Tennessee on an unrelated murder, deputies say.

According to the release, Phillips was a frequent taxi driver for the victim. Deputies say that Allison had expressed frustration that the suspect owed her money, although deputies say the motive is still under investigation.

Investigators were able to tie Phillips to the murder after locating cell phone records.

This is the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit’s fifths solved case since its inception in August of 2020.

Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis released a statement on the unit’s involvement in solving this case.

“This is a prime example of the vision we had for the unit coming to life, to bring resolve and justice for the family and friends who have tragically lost their loved ones. It is hard enough to lose someone you love, but having unanswered questions and their case go cold elevates the level of difficulty. I am so blessed to work alongside these dedicated investigators who work tirelessly in their pursuit of justice. We have so much more work to do, but this is another tremendous step in our agency’s pursuit of unwavering commitment to solving cold case homicides.”

Stay tuned as we work to learn more.

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