FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) — A man accused of murder and multiple assaults on Folly Beach and James Island this week is now in police custody.
Folly Beach Public Safety officials asked for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest in connection with an alleged knife attack that happened Wednesday at Loggerhead’s Beach Grill.
That person was later identified as Theodore T. Wagner Jr., who has now been charged with murder, attempted murder and third-degree assault and battery.
Court documents show Wagner entered the patio area at Loggerhead’s, sought out the victim, and slashed and stabbed the victim in the neck area with a pocket knife before casually leaving the business.
Documents also show that Wagner punched another victim in the back of the head with a closed fist at the Folly River Park restroom that same day.
Wagner was identified as the person of interest in that knife attack after he was arrested and accused of killing 36-year-old Sean Strojny in another alleged assault that happened in a wooded area near a Walmart on James Island Thursday evening.
Officers with the Charleston Police Department responded to the Walmart parking lot off Folly Road just before 8:30 p.m. regarding an assault that was in progress involving a female victim. The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Documents show the woman suffered a large laceration to her upper arm.
During the investigation, officers were informed of a second victim that was assaulted by the same male assailant. Officers located the 36-year-old male victim, Strojny, who had suffered apparent bodily trauma and died at the scene.
According to an affidavit, the woman and Strojny were sleeping in a tent behind the Walmart when they heard a man approach and ask for a cigarette. The man, Wagner, then began to shred the tent and attack the victims. Documents show he attacked them multiple times with an unknown object.
The female victim ran to the Walmart to seek help and a concerned citizen called law enforcement. While waiting for police to arrive, documents show Wagner emerged from the woods and stood facing them silently for several seconds before disappearing back into the woods.
The affidavit shows Wagner had previously approached the victims earlier in the day to ask about a nearby tent. They told him their old tent was not being used and allowed him to stay in that tent while it was raining.
Charleston County deputies later located Wagner walking along Folly Road. They said he had a box cutter inside a backpack. Investigators also found packaging for a box cutter and hatchet in the area of the crime scene.
Wagner is being held at Al Cannon Detention Center. He declined to appear before a bond court judge Saturday morning. His charges include murder, attempted murder, third-degree assault and battery, and possession of knife during the commission of a violent crime.