Man accused in wife’s Tennessee death arrested in Horry County

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - A man accused of killing his wife in Tennessee is in custody after being arrested in Horry County last month.

Online records and documents obtained by WMBF News state 33-year-old Jefferey Judge was arrested after being pulled over in the Surfside Beach area on May 17.

According to a police report, officers were made aware the vehicle driven by Judge was entering the county. Authorities also noted Judge had a prior address on Crooked Pine Drive.

Police then discovered he had an active warrant for homicide out of Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

WMBF News sister station WSMV reports that officers in Goodlettsville responded to a home for a welfare check on the day Judge was arrested. The check came after the victim, later identified as Karlie Judge, didn’t show up to work for two straight shifts, according to her employer.

Police then found Karlie Judge dead inside a bedroom lying in a pool of blood with a head injury. The room also showed signs of a struggle. Strands of her hair were also found on the bed away from her body, with blood splattered on her hands and on the bedroom floor.

WSMV also reports that Jeffery Judge was named a suspect by detectives due to there being no forced entry into the home and it being locked with a key. Authorities were also told by Karlie Judge’s co-workers about previous domestic violence issues between the couple.

Detectives were then able to track Jeffrey Judge to South Carolina using license plate readers.

He was also found with hair consistent with Karlie Judge’s on his clothes. Blood was also found on his shoe along with scratch marks on his arms.

Online records show Judge was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center after his arrest in Horry County. He was then extradited back to Tennessee and is being held at the Davidson County Detention Center as of Thursday.

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