Violent CRIME^[1]

• Name	Violent CRIME
  Gender	Male
  HIST	Violent crime, youth arrests rise in Sumter, sheriff says County officials consider new juvenile detention facility Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis speaks during a joint press conference with Sumter County Sheriff's Office and Clarendon County Sheriff's Office on Dec. 21, 2022. SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO Posted Saturday, February 14, 2026 6:00 am BY ALAYSHA MAPLE alaysha@theitem.com Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said a mix of "aggressive" law enforcement and cost-effective strategies drove how the agency responded to changing crime trends, increasing youth arrests and rising pressure on the county's detention system in 2025. Before Sumter County Council on Jan. 27, Dennis gave the county agency's annual report, outlining the increases in violent crime, decreases in property crime and ongoing efforts that would have a positive impact on the safety and spending within the county. While Dennis gave general summaries of the stats provided at county council, The Sumter Item reached out for a copy of the full report. In 2025, the sheriff's office responded to a total of 66,175 calls for service throughout the county while providing additional law enforcement services to the towns of Mayesville and Pinewood as well as stationing school resource officers in 18 public schools. The response and overall presence in parts of the county led to a decrease in certain crimes. There was a 6% decrease in theft from buildings, a 71% decrease in theft from motor vehicles and a 16% decrease in theft of motor vehicle parts or accessories. Robberies decreased by 7% from 2024 to 2025, motor vehicle thefts decreased by 51% and stolen property offenses by 41%, according to the agency's report. Weapon violations also decreased by 14% in 2025, the report said. While council commended the agency on its efforts in reducing the rate of such crimes, much of the governing body's questions and comments were directed toward the significant increases in violent crime. County homicides in 2025 totaled 11, an increase from the six in 2024, according to the report. The cases include: - Dominique Edwards, 36, of Sumter, was fatally shot on Jan. 4. The sheriff's office asked the public for information that could lead to an arrest on Feb. 19, 2025. There have been no public updates on the case since. - Chris Abrams, 56, was shot on Jan. 14. Demetrius Fleming was arrested and charged with murder and two weapons charges. - Ashlyn McFarland, 11, and Felicia Leonard, 76, were fatally shot on April 16. Reuben Arthur Leonard was arrested and charged with murder. - Robert Burleson, 43, was found shot to death in his home on May 7. Michael Dow was charged with murder and first-degree burglary in connection to the killing. - Cameron Pearson, 20, was shot after an altercation between acquaintances on July 1. Darrone McCray Jr., 18, of Santee, and Nyasia Vaughn, 18, of Sumter were charged with murder while a 15-year-old was charged with accessory after the fact. - The bodies of Kristen Grissom, 38, and Christine McAbee, 35, both of North Charleston, were discovered on Richbow Road in Rembert on Aug. 8. Tiamo Drakeford, of Camden, was charged with murder and desecration of human remains. - Rodney China, 51, was fatally shot on Oct. 18. Quinshaun Dais, of Rembert, was charged with murder. - Jaikailah Richardson, 18, was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting on Nov. 11. Ken'Dedric Bolden, 20, was charged with murder and attempted murder. The sheriff's office also charged Thomas Barwick, of Sumter, in connection to the death of William Myers, 62, who died as a direct result of consuming drugs obtained from Barwick. This charge came after the signing of the Fentanyl-Induced Homicide bill in May 2025. Barwick was charged with fentanyl-induced homicide, according to Item reporting. Dennis told council that the agency has a 100% clearance rate, as an arrest was made in every case as well as arrests made in two cases from 2022: Mala'Kiy Brooks, of Lexington, was arrested and charged in February 2025 in connection to the killing of Stephen Collins, and Dy-Shir Morgan, of Lake City, was arrested and charged in April 2025 with accessory after the fact of murder in the killing of Willie McDuffie. According to The Item's reporting, the majority of the homicides in 2025 involved firearms. More than 200 firearms were seized in 2025 and added to the more than 200,000 firearms in the sheriff's office's evidence collection, Dennis said. County Council Chairman Jim McCain asked what happens to firearms once seized. Dennis answered if the firearm was reported stolen, it is returned to its owner. If not reported stolen, the firearm is either destroyed or traded to a licensed gun dealer. Youth arrests rose 20% to 30%, according to Dennis. The agency decided to take a more "aggressive" approach to dealing with this increase as well as several drive-by shootings that occurred in November and December. A specialized "aggressive" unit was created to increase law enforcement presence in certain areas. As a result of this, the unit reported zero shootings during its initial month, multiple arrests and guns seized and charges filed in connection to several ongoing investigations. Dennis acknowledged some crimes are gang-related and said the sheriff's office is working with federal agencies, SLED and Sumter Police Department to address it. "Sumter has a gang problem; I will not deny that," he told council. He explained that Sumter and South Carolina are no exception to this, as this issue is prevalent in many counties and states. Its severity depends on how the agency chooses to confront the issue. "We try to identify them, and we deal with it. Now, we're dealing with it through aggressive law enforcement," Dennis said. With the increase in juvenile arrests comes the responsibility of where to house the juveniles. Housing juveniles at South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice's Juvenile Detention Complex costs about $125 per day, including weekends, Dennis said. Some are held for months or years while awaiting trial for serious charges such as homicide and aggravated assault. The county receives a monthly bill for those placements, and Dennis said there have been times when five to six juveniles were detained at once. The sheriff's office's own detention center has nearly its 550-person capacity, as it currently houses 492 inmates and 92 inmates on house arrest. If all inmates currently in SCSO custody were housed in the facility, the total would be 584. The detention center at 1250 Winkles Road opened in September 2002 at a price tag of $9 million, according to Item archives. The dormitory-style facility is about 60,000 square feet and serves as a regional detention center, housing inmates for Sumter and Lee counties. Dennis said the maximum-security unit of the facility is full, forcing some inmates to be moved to medium security. And along with housing Lee inmates, Dennis said there is "not much room left at all." Before council, Dennis recommended building an additional pod for its adult facility and developing a dedicated juvenile detention center. A good portion of council's questions during Dennis' presentation concerned the viability of such a facility. The juvenile facility, Dennis explained, would be the most cost-effective option for county taxpayers. The facility would also serve as a regional youth detention center for other counties as well. Councilman Artie Baker asked if the facility could be built within the current detention center, to which Dennis responded that the juveniles must be separated by "sight and sound" from the adults. But the sheriff's office is also looking for preventative measures to help eliminate juvenile crime. The sheriff's office will bring back its summer youth program, Boys & Girls Youth Inc., for the first time since COVID-19. It will also continue hosting community meetings to update residents on its efforts to reduce violence as well as to hear and address their concerns firsthand. The agency also had a 100% clearance rate in runaway and missing persons cases, crediting the agency's improved technology, educating the public on how to efficiently report such cases and training within the sheriff's office. Many of the council members commended the sheriff and the agency for efficiently operating a detention center and its service to the county, with councilman Carlton Washington being "amazed" at their efforts, as reflected in the report. He emphasized for the record his continued support of the agency and its needs. "I'll be supporting whatever they need to make sure that this department continues to perform at an exceptional rate at protecting the citizens of Sumter County," Washington said. Dennis commended the work of all those involved with the sheriff's office, from deputies and investigators to correctional officers and administrative staff. He said the sheriff's office will continue to balance aggressive enforcement with prevention as crime patterns evolve.  [1]
  HIST	Violent crime, youth arrests rise in Sumter, sheriff says County officials consider new juvenile detention facility Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis speaks during a joint press conference with Sumter County Sheriff's Office and Clarendon County Sheriff's Office on Dec. 21, 2022. SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO Posted Saturday, February 14, 2026 6:00 am BY ALAYSHA MAPLE alaysha@theitem.com Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said a mix of "aggressive" law enforcement and cost-effective strategies drove how the agency responded to changing crime trends, increasing youth arrests and rising pressure on the county's detention system in 2025. Before Sumter County Council on Jan. 27, Dennis gave the county agency's annual report, outlining the increases in violent crime, decreases in property crime and ongoing efforts that would have a positive impact on the safety and spending within the county. While Dennis gave general summaries of the stats provided at county council, The Sumter Item reached out for a copy of the full report. In 2025, the sheriff's office responded to a total of 66,175 calls for service throughout the county while providing additional law enforcement services to the towns of Mayesville and Pinewood as well as stationing school resource officers in 18 public schools. The response and overall presence in parts of the county led to a decrease in certain crimes. There was a 6% decrease in theft from buildings, a 71% decrease in theft from motor vehicles and a 16% decrease in theft of motor vehicle parts or accessories. Robberies decreased by 7% from 2024 to 2025, motor vehicle thefts decreased by 51% and stolen property offenses by 41%, according to the agency's report. Weapon violations also decreased by 14% in 2025, the report said. While council commended the agency on its efforts in reducing the rate of such crimes, much of the governing body's questions and comments were directed toward the significant increases in violent crime. County homicides in 2025 totaled 11, an increase from the six in 2024, according to the report. The cases include: - Dominique Edwards, 36, of Sumter, was fatally shot on Jan. 4. The sheriff's office asked the public for information that could lead to an arrest on Feb. 19, 2025. There have been no public updates on the case since. - Chris Abrams, 56, was shot on Jan. 14. Demetrius Fleming was arrested and charged with murder and two weapons charges. - Ashlyn McFarland, 11, and Felicia Leonard, 76, were fatally shot on April 16. Reuben Arthur Leonard was arrested and charged with murder. - Robert Burleson, 43, was found shot to death in his home on May 7. Michael Dow was charged with murder and first-degree burglary in connection to the killing. - Cameron Pearson, 20, was shot after an altercation between acquaintances on July 1. Darrone McCray Jr., 18, of Santee, and Nyasia Vaughn, 18, of Sumter were charged with murder while a 15-year-old was charged with accessory after the fact. - The bodies of Kristen Grissom, 38, and Christine McAbee, 35, both of North Charleston, were discovered on Richbow Road in Rembert on Aug. 8. Tiamo Drakeford, of Camden, was charged with murder and desecration of human remains. - Rodney China, 51, was fatally shot on Oct. 18. Quinshaun Dais, of Rembert, was charged with murder. - Jaikailah Richardson, 18, was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting on Nov. 11. Ken'Dedric Bolden, 20, was charged with murder and attempted murder. The sheriff's office also charged Thomas Barwick, of Sumter, in connection to the death of William Myers, 62, who died as a direct result of consuming drugs obtained from Barwick. This charge came after the signing of the Fentanyl-Induced Homicide bill in May 2025. Barwick was charged with fentanyl-induced homicide, according to Item reporting. Dennis told council that the agency has a 100% clearance rate, as an arrest was made in every case as well as arrests made in two cases from 2022: Mala'Kiy Brooks, of Lexington, was arrested and charged in February 2025 in connection to the killing of Stephen Collins, and Dy-Shir Morgan, of Lake City, was arrested and charged in April 2025 with accessory after the fact of murder in the killing of Willie McDuffie. According to The Item's reporting, the majority of the homicides in 2025 involved firearms. More than 200 firearms were seized in 2025 and added to the more than 200,000 firearms in the sheriff's office's evidence collection, Dennis said. County Council Chairman Jim McCain asked what happens to firearms once seized. Dennis answered if the firearm was reported stolen, it is returned to its owner. If not reported stolen, the firearm is either destroyed or traded to a licensed gun dealer. Youth arrests rose 20% to 30%, according to Dennis. The agency decided to take a more "aggressive" approach to dealing with this increase as well as several drive-by shootings that occurred in November and December. A specialized "aggressive" unit was created to increase law enforcement presence in certain areas. As a result of this, the unit reported zero shootings during its initial month, multiple arrests and guns seized and charges filed in connection to several ongoing investigations. Dennis acknowledged some crimes are gang-related and said the sheriff's office is working with federal agencies, SLED and Sumter Police Department to address it. "Sumter has a gang problem; I will not deny that," he told council. He explained that Sumter and South Carolina are no exception to this, as this issue is prevalent in many counties and states. Its severity depends on how the agency chooses to confront the issue. "We try to identify them, and we deal with it. Now, we're dealing with it through aggressive law enforcement," Dennis said. With the increase in juvenile arrests comes the responsibility of where to house the juveniles. Housing juveniles at South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice's Juvenile Detention Complex costs about $125 per day, including weekends, Dennis said. Some are held for months or years while awaiting trial for serious charges such as homicide and aggravated assault. The county receives a monthly bill for those placements, and Dennis said there have been times when five to six juveniles were detained at once. The sheriff's office's own detention center has nearly its 550-person capacity, as it currently houses 492 inmates and 92 inmates on house arrest. If all inmates currently in SCSO custody were housed in the facility, the total would be 584. The detention center at 1250 Winkles Road opened in September 2002 at a price tag of $9 million, according to Item archives. The dormitory-style facility is about 60,000 square feet and serves as a regional detention center, housing inmates for Sumter and Lee counties. Dennis said the maximum-security unit of the facility is full, forcing some inmates to be moved to medium security. And along with housing Lee inmates, Dennis said there is "not much room left at all." Before council, Dennis recommended building an additional pod for its adult facility and developing a dedicated juvenile detention center. A good portion of council's questions during Dennis' presentation concerned the viability of such a facility. The juvenile facility, Dennis explained, would be the most cost-effective option for county taxpayers. The facility would also serve as a regional youth detention center for other counties as well. Councilman Artie Baker asked if the facility could be built within the current detention center, to which Dennis responded that the juveniles must be separated by "sight and sound" from the adults. But the sheriff's office is also looking for preventative measures to help eliminate juvenile crime. The sheriff's office will bring back its summer youth program, Boys & Girls Youth Inc., for the first time since COVID-19. It will also continue hosting community meetings to update residents on its efforts to reduce violence as well as to hear and address their concerns firsthand. The agency also had a 100% clearance rate in runaway and missing persons cases, crediting the agency's improved technology, educating the public on how to efficiently report such cases and training within the sheriff's office. Many of the council members commended the sheriff and the agency for efficiently operating a detention center and its service to the county, with councilman Carlton Washington being "amazed" at their efforts, as reflected in the report. He emphasized for the record his continued support of the agency and its needs. "I'll be supporting whatever they need to make sure that this department continues to perform at an exceptional rate at protecting the citizens of Sumter County," Washington said. Dennis commended the work of all those involved with the sheriff's office, from deputies and investigators to correctional officers and administrative staff. He said the sheriff's office will continue to balance aggressive enforcement with prevention as crime patterns evolve.
  _UID	2D21637EFCBB433C9BA3D15A68387407E94E
  _UID	2D21637EFCBB433C9BA3D15A68387407E94E
  Person ID	I349519	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	17 Feb 2026

  
  

  Family	Crime VIOLENT
  _UID	E392AEB966744C0686BCAEFF5B5FA95BB532
  _UID	E392AEB966744C0686BCAEFF5B5FA95BB532
  Family ID	F233238	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Feb 2026

  
  

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  [S33166] Violent crime, youth arrests rise in Sumter, Sheriff says.