‘He hasn't let her go': Heather Elvis' family reacts to Sidney Moorer wanting new trial
SOCASTEE, S.C. (WBTW) – Heather Elvis' family spoke to News13 Sunday about Sidney Moorer filing for a new trial.
Moorer and his wife, Tammy, were convicted in the kidnapping of Elvis, who disappeared in December 2013.
Elvis was 20 years old when she went missing. Her abandoned car was found at Peachtree Landing in Socastee, but authorities have not found her almost 12 years later.
Sidney Moorer was first found guilty of obstruction of justice in 2017 in connection with Elvis' disappearance before being found guilty on a kidnapping charge in a 2019 retrial.
In a post-conviction relief form, it states Sidney Moorer wants a new trial because his attorney 'did very little work.'
Moorer also claims prosecutors withheld evidence and changed their timeline to get Moorer convicted of kidnapping Heather Elvis.
Debbi Elvis, Heather's mother, said in every appeal Moorer has filed, he has asked for a new trial. She said she is worried Moorer may get a new trial and be found not guilty of kidnapping her daughter.
Morgan Elvis, Heather's sister, said she believes Heather's case and Moorer's trial were fair.
'It's been looked at by so many people, by so many courts, by so many officials, and nothing has been slipped through the cracks,' Morgan said. 'However, I do want to say that, in a system where he is able to advocate and fight for himself, I just wish he had thought the same, that Heather might have wanted to fight and advocate for her life as well.'
Almost 12 years after Heather disappeared, Morgan said many people have become desensitized to Heather's story, so much so that the Elvis family has received hateful messages and seen rumors about Heather online.
News13 asked Debbi and Morgan if they think they will see Heather again, if she will be able to tell her own story.
'I do wish I could see her again,' Morgan said. 'But the problem is, I wish I could see who she was again. The reality is, the person you bring home from any kind of traumatic situation is never the person that left.'
Debbi said, if she sees Moorer in court again, she would want to tell him one thing.
'I would like to just beg him to let Heather go,' Debbi said. 'I said that to the judge when I gave my victim's impact statement, that I wanted the sentence to be longer, because he's still holding her hostage. He hasn't let her go.'
Tammy Moorer is serving a 30-year sentence after being convicted of kidnapping Elvis in 2018.
The Moorer's previous appeals were denied in 2023.
* * *
Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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