Fugitive murder suspect waives extradition

Published 10:25 pm Monday, March 9, 2020

A 41-year-old man wanted for a Valentine’s Day slaying in South Carolina waived extradition to the Palmetto State during a court appearance in Baldwin County Superior Court last Friday.

Samuel Kennedy Funderburk appeared before Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Alison T. Burleson in the courtroom of the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center where he waived extradition on charges of burglary in the first degree and murder in Florence County, South Carolina.

Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Stephen A. Bradley confirmed that Funderburk waived extradition right.

A week before, Funderburk informed Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Terry A. Massey that he wanted to talk with his attorney before he decided on returning to South Carolina to face felony criminal charges.

During that hearing, Funderburk told Massey, as well as Assistant District Attorney Savanna Roughen and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Detective Chris Youngblood, that he didn’t do what he has been accused of doing in South Carolina.

“I feel that the charges that I have in South Carolina are [biased]; I didn’t do it,” Funderburk told Massey and others during his first extradition hearing.

Funderburk is accused of breaking into a residence in Florence County, South Carolina with an accomplice and killing 64-year-old Harold Timothy Morrison, according to a press release from the Florence County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities identified the suspect’s accomplice as Joseph Edward Foss Jr., of Timmonsville, S.C. Foss, who was arrested a short time after the crime, is also charged with the offenses of burglary in the first degree and murder.

Law enforcement authorities believe Funderburk immediately left South Carolina after his uncle loaned him $500 in cash and a credit card.

Funderburk ended up selling cars and trucks at a local dealership before he was arrested in Milledgeville after a traffic stop with a friend on Feb. 20.

At the time of his arrest, he was staying at a local motel.

It wasn’t immediately known that Funderburk was wanted by South Carolina authorities on burglary and murder warrants until after Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Jerome Roberts got to the county jail with him.

Funderburk was taken there after his arrest for Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act for possession of a Scheduled IV controlled substance, and Violation of the Georgia Open Container Law.

He had been a passenger in a car driven by a Milledgeville man who was stopped by Roberts on traffic-related charges, including driving under the influence.

While Funderburk was being processed into the county jail when Roberts was informed that he was wanted in South Carolina.

A fugitive murder warrant was later sworn out against Funderburk by Detective Youngblood on the day of his first extradition hearing.

After Funderburk’s arrest in Baldwin County, he suspect’s Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck also was seized by authorities and taken to the impound lot at the law enforcement center.