Murder Victim's Family Talks About Rocky Relationship

Brenda Simpson said she had tried to get her daughter away from the man who was charged Tuesday with her murder.

Teresa Valentine, 46, was found stabbed to death in her Brown Street home.

Deputies were called to the home around 10:30 a.m., after neighbors called 911 to report a disturbance.

Valentine's live-in boyfriend, 59-year-old Richard Ashford has been charged with murder in connection with her death. According to Valentine's relatives, a neighbor called deputies after Ashford confessed to the killing.

Valentine's mother said it was the last news she had wanted to hear. She knew that the relationship between the two had been rocky and she had worried about her daughter.

"She didn't need him," Simpson said. "I wouldn't let him come to my house, because I didn't like him."

Simpson said that her daughter had met Ashford in Columbia and that the two had been together for about two years. Simpson said that Valentine had told her about Ashford's temper and even about alleged assaults on family members.

Ashford had been arrested in May on charges of criminal domestic violence — first degree, but still Valentine had stayed with him, Simpson said.

"I don't know why she was with him," Simpson said. "She didn't deserve this."

Simpson said she feels like her daughter must have been asleep during the stabbing, because she "wouldn't have let him done this."

Simpson said she would miss her daughter's smile and the way she always said what was on her mind.

"She didn't like me telling her what to do, but she would do anything you asked her to do," Simpson said. "She had her ways, but she was nice and everybody like her. She was a good person."

Valentine's cousin Bennie Brown Jr. said the couple had been living on Brown Street for about six months.

Brown described Valentine as "a happy person, sweet and kind."

Brown said he last saw the couple on Sunday, as he was visiting other relatives who live nearby. He said Ashford, who was a veteran, did odd jobs and cut grass for people to make some money.

Ashford's arrest records date back to May 1975, according to a SLED report. His most recent arrests were this year in Greenville. In March, he was arrested for malicious injury to a person. 

According to the report, his past charges range from burglary and grand larceny to domestic violence and criminal sexual conduct.

Ashford is being held at the Greenville County Detention Center without bond.