Spartanburg man caught on camera dumping missing girlfriend’s car, solicitor says

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - A man appeared before a bond court judge on Friday morning after he was arrested for charges connected to the search for his missing girlfriend.

Casey Young, 44, last spoke to family on the way home from work around 4:30 p.m. on May 15. She was reported missing the following day when she did not return to work at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, which is unusual.

She was living with her boyfriend, Da’ron Collins, at a home on Pratt Drive when she went missing. Cell phone records indicate Young’s phone died shortly after she arrived home at 4:50 p.m., according to the solicitor. It has not turned on since.

The solicitor said Collins lied to investigators about what happened on the last night Young was seen, saying they got into an argument and she left the house. He told investigators he hadn’t seen Young since then, but he stayed home and packed up her stuff.

After an anonymous tip, investigators found Young’s white Infinity G-37 in the parking lot of Windsor Place Apartments on Pinegate Drive, which is about three miles from her home. Surveillance video they obtained shows Collins getting out of Young’s car wearing gloves, wiping down the car, and walking to a dumpster to discard items.

Investigators said Collins left his phone at home when he took Young’s car, which they suspect was an attempt to cover up his actions. They executed a search warrant and found surveillance videos had been manually deleted from the ADT security system at the home Collins shared with Young. Cameras were also unplugged during “crucial times,” the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said.

Collins was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice and grand larceny. He is considered a person of interest in Young’s disappearance.

The solicitor asked for a high surety bond, weapons restrictions and GPS monitoring to be issued for Collins. Officials said he was the suspect in domestic violence incidents while in the military as well.

Young’s family was at the bond hearing and asked for his bond to be denied since she is still missing.

The judge said he is required to set bond for the charges Collins faces, but he agreed with concerns about Collins being a flight risk. His bond was set at $9,000 and when released, he will be placed on house arrest with GPS monitoring. He is not allowed to have contact with any of Young’s family or possess a firearm.

Collins lives with his daughter, who the solicitor said is believed to be a witness in the case. They asked he not be allowed to have contact with her either, but the judge did not issue any restrictions regarding contact with his own daughter.

Collins said during the hearing that he plans to hire his own attorney.

An anonymous donor has offered up a $10,000 reward for information that leads to Young’s location and the identification of the person or persons responsible for her disappearance.

Casey Young is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 150 pounds with long, black braids. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Lt. Brandon Letterman with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office at 864-494-0644 or by email.

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