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A four-year-old girl will be returned to the United States under the care of her paternal grandfather while her mother, 33-year-old Kendra Leigh Wilson, awaits extradition from the Netherlands on criminal charges.
Wilson has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and accessory before and after the fact in connection with the 2021 murder of the child’s father—U.S. Army veteran Connor E. Lloyd.
This week, South Carolina authorities arrested a third suspect in this long-dormant case: 47-year-old Douglas H. Gilbert of Salem, S.C. Gilbert is charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Sources close to the investigation tell FITSNews Kendra Wilson has admitted to hiring Gilbert to carry out the killing. Her mother, Cynthia Wilson, also remains in custody at the Spartanburg County detention center for charges related to Lloyd’s murder. Like her daughter, Cynthia Wilson has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and accessory before and after the fact.
The arrests mark a dramatic shift in a case that had seen little progress over the past four years.
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Lloyd’s murder occurred two days before he was scheduled to have his first overnight visit with his infant daughter. He was ambushed around midnight on August 18, 2021, in the driveway of his Grover Drive home in Lyman, S.C., where he lived with his fiancée, Whitney Blalock.
In the months leading up to his death, Kendra Wilson contacted law enforcement multiple times alleging harassment by Lloyd. The couple had broken up early in her pregnancy, and following the child’s birth, Connor had pursued parental rights through the courts. A gradual visitation schedule was implemented, beginning with supervised visits and progressing to unsupervised time before the start of overnight visitation.
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CUSTODY RULING IN THE NETHERLANDS
On Thursday (April 17, 2025), a Dutch court ruled that a South Carolina custody order granting guardianship of the child to Connor Lloyd’s father – James R. Lloyd of Greer, S.C. – would be recognized and enforced. As a result, all Dutch child protection measures – including court supervision and foster placement – have been immediately terminated. The girl is expected to return to South Carolina with her grandfather.
Kendra Wilson fled the U.S. with her daughter in March 2025 and was arrested on April 7 at a refugee center in Ter Apel, where she had registered under her real name. Friends say she fled out of fear for her daughter’s safety and was seeking asylum under Dutch protections for women and children escaping abuse.
Disclosures made during that process triggered the Dutch court’s review of the custody order.
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THE ALLEGED GUNMAN
Gilbert was taken into custody on Tuesday (April 15, 2025) and booked at the Spartanburg County detention center. Unlike the earlier arrests – which involved conspiracy and accessory charges – Gilbert is accused of directly carrying out the killing.
Gilbert’s LinkedIn profile described a background in private security, including work with Securitas Security Services USA and management of Knight Services LLC. He studied criminal justice and psychology at Southern Wesleyan University and Tri-County Technical College. Sources say Kendra Wilson worked for Gilbert’s wife as a house cleaner.
Gilbert’s arrest represented a significant breakthrough in the investigation into Lloyd’s death For years, the case remained cold: no suspects named, no motive confirmed and no answers for the family.
What led to the sudden progress remains unclear. Authorities have not confirmed whether a financial exchange was involved in the murder – or if Cynthia Wilson had a direct role in the planning.
As with anyone accused of committing any crime, Gilbert and the Wilsons are considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system – or until such time as they may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges filed against them.
Count on FITSNews to continue to follow this case as it unfolds…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Callie Lyons is a relentless investigative journalist, researcher, and author known for exposing hard truths with heart and precision. As a journalist for FITSNews, she dives into high-profile and murky cases—like that of Mica Francis Miller— with fearless resolve and a sharp eye for detail, whether it’s tracking white-collar crime, uncovering religious abuse, or examining the often-bizarre behavior of those who believe they’re above the law.
Callie made waves with her groundbreaking 2007 book Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal, the first to reveal the dangers of forever chemicals, a story that helped inspire the film Dark Waters and influenced global scientific dialogue. Her work has appeared in numerous documentaries, including Toxic Soup, National Geographic’s Parched: Toxic Waters, and more recently Citizen Sleuth, which examines the complexities of true crime podcasting.
Whether she’s navigating environmental disasters or the darker corners of society, Lyons operates with one guiding belief: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”
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