‘It’s like a nightmare’: Search continues for missing Pageland, S.C. woman after police identified person of interest

PAGELAND, S.C. (WBTV) - Police have listed a person of interest in the search for 41-year-old Deidre Annette Reid who was reported missing from Pageland, South Carolina earlier this month.

Reid was last seen off East Turner Street in Pageland on Sept. 3. Reid is a 41-year-old Black woman last seen wearing gray sweatpants, a light pink and white shirt, white Air Force One shoes, and she had her hair in a ponytail.

Her family last heard from her Sept. 3 and she was headed to the Greyhound station in Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s like a nightmare for us. It feels like we’re in a bad dream. We never thought that we would be seeing our sister, one of our sisters on a missing poster,” her family told WBTV.

Reid was driving a gray, 2004 Chevy Tahoe with the South Carolina license plate number FXU718. The car had a New York Giants tag on the front.

“We just want them to continue to pray for us. Pray for a great outcome that Deidre comes home,” said Reid’s sister Jammie Avery.

Her siblings describe her as the family confidante, young, but wise with an old soul, an amazing cook, loving mother, and was about to become a first time home buyer.

Emanuel Bedford is listed as a person of interest in this case.

Family members say Reid was taking Bedford to the bus station. They also say he never got on a bus.

Reid’s brother James Reid said he reviewed the surveillance video at the bus station. He says he saw Bedford walk into the bus station and show his phone to a staff member before getting what appears to be a refund for his ticket.

“The lady handed him some money back so he ended up canceling his bus ticket and came right back out and got in the passenger side of the SUV and it pulls off,” James said.

The family spoke to WBTV on Saturday following the news that Bedford was listed as a person of interest.

“All the siblings knew that last person Deidre Reid was seen with was Emmanuel Bedford. He told law enforcement that Deidre dropped him off at the Greyhound bus station between 1:50 and 2:00 pm and that he never [saw] her again,” James said.

Reid’s siblings say Bedford is the father of Deidre’s youngest child.

“If Emmanuel is looking I really do want him to reach out to the law enforcement and if he didn’t have anything to do with our sister’s disappearance we just want him to clear his name,” James said.

They spoke to WBTV prior to police listing Bedford as a person of interest late Thursday.

They believe this case is similar to that of Gabby Petito.

“How when she went missing, her boyfriend was automatically a person of interest. And when our sister goes missing, the guy who last seen with her alive, or in the vehicle with her is not a person of interest,” they said.

The Pageland Police Department is actively investigating the disappearance of Deidre Reid along with assistance from SLED, CMPD and several Georgia agencies.

To date, multiple aerial and land searches including helicopters, drones, foot, and ATV’s has been conducted in several key locations throughout the entire investigation.

“I need you guys to come forward if you know anything. Come forward and give us peace, think about her children, think about what it would feel like for you if it was your sister- anything. No tip is a crazy tip,” Avery said.

If anyone can provide any additional information regarding this case, please contact the Pageland Police Department immediately at 843-672-6437.

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