Twenty-five-year-old Bellannie Lomonica Clyburn of 205 Magnum St., Apt H-4, Pageland, was stabbed to death in front of her two small children on New Year's Day, according to Pageland Police Department Assistant Chief of Police, Larry Brown.

Forty-year-old Thomas Jeffery Stewart of Jefferson, was arrested shortly after the incident occurred and was charged with Clyburn's murder after admitting to stabbing her repeatedly, according to reports.

Pageland Police Department's Sgt. Clarence Francis and PFC Bobby Charles Melton responded to the scene and saw Clyburn laying on her stomach with her head turned to her right side. According to the report, Clyburn was still breathing and officers observed a rapid bounding pulse. Officer Melton then noticed two knives on the ground in the grass between apartments H-3 and H-4, along with a small can of pepper mace. Francis and Melton called dispatch to notify Brown and to also get help.

Pageland Rescue Squad and First Health soon arrived at the scene. It was during this time that Clyburn stopped breathing. She was then transported to Union Medical Center and was later declared deceased at Union regional Medical Center.

Brown said that Stewart had a past history of abusing Clyburn and that the relationship was on and off for about seven years.

"He went to her home on Dec. 27 and wanted to talk to her but left after she called the police to report a trespasser. Stewart then ran into Clyburn the following night at the Pageland Community Center and assaulted her there. We filed a report on the trespassing and the assault on him, then Tuesday, she filed an order of protection against him. She also changed her cell phone number.

She had been trying to end the relationship for a while," added Brown.

According to Brown, Stewart sat outside Clyburn's apartment all night on Dec. 31 waiting for a chance to confront her.

"About 9:30 a.m., Clyburn came out of her home with her two small children, ages six and nine and Stewart forced them back inside with a knife. They began fighting and Stewart stabbed Clyburn after she sprayed him in the face with mace. He then fled the scene in a white SUV Suburban and authorities were told to be on the lookout for the vehicle," said Brown.

According to the police report, Chesterfield County Sheriff's Deputy Joey Carnes saw Stewart pulling into Pigg Park in Pageland shortly after.

"I think he pulled into the park because he was having a hard time seeing after she sprayed him with the mace. Stewart told Carnes that he was pulling into the park to wash the mace out of his eyes," continued Brown. "He was still wearing bloodstained clothes."

Brown said that Stewart admitted to stabbing Clyburn but did not intend to kill her.

SLED was also called in and assisted Pageland Police with the crime scene.

"I can't stress enough that people need to be aware of their surroundings. Someone should have noticed a man sitting inside a parked truck all night and called us. This is a perfect example why community watch programs are so important," stressed Brown.