South Carolina H 5025: Louie and Patricia Ayende-hero neighbors

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5025 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 28, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5025

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR Louie and Patricia Ayende for 
their courageous and speedy assistance to their neighbor when they saw her 
being kidnapped, which enabled law enforcement to rescue her quickly. 

Whereas, in March of 
2025, a California resident out on bond for attempted murder in California, forced 
his way into the home of Delores Johnson, an eighty-nine-year-old resident of 
Summerville; and 

Whereas, the assailant 
sprayed her with bear mace and tied her to a chair in her kitchen. While the 
assailant was still inside Ms. Johnson's residence, her neighbor, Mr. Louie Ayende, 
arrived at the elderly victim's home to take her trashcan to the curb, as he 
routinely did; and

Whereas, when Louie 
knocked on the door, he noticed an unfamiliar man behaving suspiciously inside. 
The man claimed Ms. Johnson had been taken to the hospital, a statement Louie 
immediately recognized as false. Louie sprang into action, returning home to 
retrieve his firearm and call law enforcement; and

Whereas, the assailant 
then taped a plastic bag on Ms. Johnson's head, tied her with a dog leash, forced 
her into the floorboard of her vehicle, and fled the scene with her inside the 
car; and

Whereas, Louie's wife, 
Patricia, ran to the car, attempting to stop the vehicle and retrieve the 
victim as the assailant quickly reversed out of the driveway. Because of these 
neighbors' actions, law enforcement was alerted immediately and was able to 
locate the victim alive later that day. Police averred that if the victim had 
not been found that night, she likely would have died; and 

Whereas, in August of 2025, 
the assailant, Enver Zueros, was convicted by the First Circuit Solicitor's 
Office in Dorchester County and sentenced to fifty years in prison, after pleading 
guilty to first-degree burglary and kidnapping. Ms. Johnson's survival is a 
direct result of neighbors who trusted their instincts and refused to look the 
other way; and

Whereas, prosecutors 
said the assailant had driven across the country after Ms. Johnson stopped 
sending him money, rented an Airbnb near her home, and waited to assault her when 
her caregiver was not present; and

Whereas, family members 
testified in court about the weeks of wound care, physical therapy, and the 
lasting fear Ms. Johnson has endured since the attack; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina House of Representatives values the heroic and selfless actions of 
neighbors in the Palmetto State, like Patricia and Louie Ayende, who appreciate 
the welfare of others in their community, and the members commend them for 
boldly coming to the aid of Ms. Johnson. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, recognize and honor Louie and Patricia Ayende for their 
courageous and speedy assistance to their neighbor when they saw her being 
kidnapped, which enabled law enforcement to rescue her quickly.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Louie and Patricia Ayende.

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This web page was last updated on January 28, 2026 at 02:48 PM