Daniel J. Gross|The Greenville News
Kala Victoria Brown, the surviving victim of serial killer Todd Kohlheppfound chained in a shipping container in 2016, has been charged with domestic violence alongside her boyfriend after a fight broke out in their home, according to documents obtained by The Greenville News.
The charges comein the same a week a judge was due to consider an agreement related to civil lawsuits against Kohlhepp that would distribute 50% of Kohlhepp'sassets to Brown.
Brown, 33, was charged with criminal domestic violence third degree on Tuesday, according to Greenville County court records. She was released from jail the same day ona $2,000 personal recognizance bond, online court records show.
According to an arrest warrant, Brown punched a person she was living with in the face with a closed fist. The alleged assault took place at her Piedmont home on Monday. She was booked into the Greenville County jail around 2:47 a.m. Tuesday.
The person who was struck was Brown's boyfriend, according to an incident report.James Devon Moore, 31, was also charged with third-degree domestic violence and booked into the Greenville County jail on Tuesday, according to an arrest warrant. Moore was also released from jail on a $2,000 personal recognizance bond on Tuesday, records show.
Brown did not immediately respond to a Facebook message seeking comment.
Greenville attorney David Wyatt, who is representing Brown, said he believes the charge against her will be dropped.
"She's obviously having a hard time," he said.
“All is well. Kala was off her medicine, andshe had an altercation with a friend which has been resolved,” Jenny Dial, a spokesperson for Brown, said in an email to The Greenville News.
Moore did not immediately respondto a Facebook message. he had no attorney listed in online records.
An incident report states Brown told deputies that Moore was living with her for less than two weeks. They began to argue about an animal being in the house when Brown told Moore to leave, according to the report.
"James then 'bucked' his chest into her and stated 'make me,'" the incident report states. Kala then explained she struck James in the face with a closed fist at which point he grabbed her throwing her into the ground and placing her into a choke hold."
Brown told deputies she nearly lost consciousness, the report states.
After the fight, Brown and Moore drove to a QuikTrip store on Augusta Road to buy cigarettes, the report states. There, Brown ran away from the vehicle and called law enforcement, according to the report.
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The criminal domestic violence third degree charge, a misdemeanor, is Brown's only criminal offense in South Carolina, according to her criminal background obtained from the State Law Enforcement Division.
Brown's arrest comes about five months after her fiance, Adam Mayson, died of a self-inflicted stabbing inside their Piedmont home, according to a Coroner's Office report.
Brown made national headlines in 2016 when investigators rescued her from a metal shipping container on 96 acres of rural property in Woodruff. Kohlhepp had owned that property, and Brown had been therefor two months after going missing from Anderson, investigators said.
Kohlhepp, a real estate agent living in Moore,was arrested the same day Brown was found on Nov. 3, 2016. He was charged with killing Brown's boyfriend, Charlie David Carver, along with Spartanburg couple Johnny and Meagan Coxie. Their three bodies were found in shallow graves on Kohlhepp's Woodruff property in the days following the arrest.
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Kohlheppwas also charged Brown's kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct.
While in custody, Kohlhepp also confessed to killing four — Scott Ponder, Brian Lucas, Beverly Guy and Chris Sherbert —in 2003 at the Superbike Motorsports shop in Chesnee, according to investigators.
After her rescue, Brown appeared on the nationally televisedDr. Phil show and told Phil McGraw in an interview that Kohlhepp had raped her daily while in captivity.
Brown filed a personal injury lawsuit, and a judge later awarded her more than $6 million in damages. In that hearing, she describedongoingmedical and psychological treatment she said she will have to endure for the remainder of her life as a result of Kohlhepp's actions.
Family members of Kohlhepp's other known victims filed wrongful death lawsuits against Kohlhepp.
Cindy Coxie, the mother of Johnny Coxie, was awarded$2.7 million in damages from her lawsuit.
Melissa Brackman, Ponder's widow,is scheduled to face Kohlhepp in Spartanburg County court on July 26 when she testifies in connection to thewrongful death suit filed by the families of the Superbike Motorsports victims.
Daniel J. Gross covers public safety and breaking news for The Greenville News. Reach him at dgross@greenvillenews.com or on Twitter @danieljgross.
Staff writer Conor Hughes contributed to this story.