Drugs allegedly motivated South Carolina double killing

Police have yet to release the names of the victims in a double homicide that allegedly involved stolen heroin and fentanyl. Investigators reported that one of the four suspects arrested in the case had been trying to recover his stolen drugs.

According to court records, the 37-year-old man hired two people to locate the narcotics. After learning the location of the thieves, he and others confronted the drug thieves on a rural road near Soccastee southwest of Myrtle Beach. Police said that they shot and stabbed two people and set their vehicle on fire. Prosecutors filed two charges of murder against the man and his apparent accomplices.

The man who had been trying to recover the drugs already had a long history of criminal convictions that began in Washington and Saratoga counties. Once he moved out of state, he ended up in prison after a conviction for forging checks. He was also arrested during an investigation of a cocaine distribution gang. Upon returning to Myrtle Beach, he admitted guilt on forgery charges in 2011. Authorities also accused him of kidnapping but dismissed the charges. He awaits his next court appearance in the Horry County Correctional Facility.

Due to the serious consequences that could arise from a conviction for violent crimes, a person accused of assault or homicide may want legal advice. An attorney might examine the evidence and offer an opinion about the strength of a prosecutor’s case. These insights may allow someone to make an informed choice between a plea deal or trial. In either situation, an attorney may strive to cast doubt on the evidence and insulate a person from a harsh sentence.

Source: The Post Star, “Former Greenwich resident charged with murder in South Carolina“, Don Lehman, Aug. 3, 2018