She was married when she was 16 years old. Now at 28, she has children who are 11, 8 and 6 years old.

Up until a few years ago, her children were the center of Jennifer Ann Hoover's life. Suddenly, her life started revolving around something else.

"Once she got with drugs -- that's what got her in trouble," Jeanie Gartman, Hoover's mother, said shortly before Hoover was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Hoover, 28, of Summerville, was charged with murder in the death of Sammie James III, 63, of 992 Bramble Lane, Orangeburg. Additionally, she was charged with first-degree burglary, armed robbery, possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and second-degree arson.

Hoover entered guilty pleas to all five charges Thursday in General Sessions Court in Orangeburg.

Third Circuit Judge Thomas W. Cooper Jr., assigned to the case by S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal, accepted the pleas and imposed the concurrent sentences.

Cooper also sentenced Hoover to life without parole on the burglary charge, 30 years on the armed robbery charge, five years on the possession charge and 25 years on the arson charge.

First Circuit Solicitor Walter Bailey said the state originally planned to seek the death penalty.

Bailey said Hoover entered a plea agreement that stipulated the state would not seek the death penalty but would recommend a sentence of life without parole if she pleaded guilty to the charges and agreed to testify in any other proceeding involving the case.

During the proceeding, Bailey outlined what took place Oct. 26 and 27, 2001.

"Jennifer Hoover was acquainted with Mr. James," Bailey said. "She was aware Mr. James kept money in his pocket."

Bailey said Hoover and Matthew Allen Radford, 17, a co-defendant in the case, went to James' home to get money in order to purchase cocaine.

When James refused to give them money, Bailey told the court, a struggle broke out between Radford and James, who produced a pistol.

Hoover admitted shooting James in the back, Bailey said.

After being shot in the back and hit with a liquor bottle, James went into a bathroom and retrieved the top from the toilet tank with which to defend himself, Bailey said. James was then struck in the head with a table leg, the solicitor said.

Bailey said James was fatally wounded when he was shot in the eye by Radford.

In her confession, Bailey said, Hoover told investigators that when she went into the bathroom, Radford and James were in the bathtub and Radford was choking James. James' body was found in the tub.

The following day, the co-defendants were joined by Daniel Brown, with whom Hoover was staying at the time, and the trio took bloody clothing and the gun to a remote area near Jedburg, Bailey said.

On the night of Oct. 27, 2001, Hoover and Radford returned to James' residence to remove the table leg and fingerprints, according to Bailey. They took a container of gasoline, doused James' body and set it on fire, he said.

Bailey said Brown came forth and gave corroborating evidence.

No date has been set for Radford's trial.

An acquaintance of James notified the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office after discovering his body. The friend told authorities she last saw him Friday, Oct. 26. The victim was last seen alive around 10 p.m. on that date.

The acquaintance said the victim stopped by her home and made comments concerning plans to visit relatives in California. She became concerned when she noticed the victim's vehicles parked in his yard, but James would not answer phone calls made to the residence.

Prior to handing down sentences, Cooper gave members of James' and Hoover's families an opportunity to address the bench.

"I have waited a long time for this day, your honor," said Elyse Marie James, the victim's daughter. "I have had a gamut of emotions. When my father was found, I had no idea what happened, who did this."

She told the court she was concerned about her and her family's safety during the days following the murder, and she said cleaning up her father's home was one of the most difficult things she ever had to do.

"Seeing all the blood, smelling the burned flesh, cleaning up the blood was devastating," she said. "No amount of prayer or anger will ever bring him back."

She said, however, that through prayer, she has been able to get rid of the anger.

"I ask God to have mercy on Ms. Hoover," she said. "I ask that she find treatment while incarcerated ... I hope she finds an opportunity to make amends to her own children for what she has done to them."

In order to give Hoover that opportunity, Cooper ordered her held at the Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center for two weeks before she is turned over to the Department of Corrections.

A sobbing Hoover told the court, "I just want to express to Mr. James' family that I'm sorry ... I know that's not going to bring him back ... "

Cooper told the emotionally charged courtroom, "There has been loss and sorrow expressed here. What it really breaks down to is drug use. Maybe one day we'll learn how to combat and deal with the (drug) problem ... It's a problem none of us will ever fully understand."

T&D City Editor Byron Tindall can be reached by e-mail at btindall@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5570.

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