Aletha Shalon HOLLIDAY^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]}

• Name	Aletha Shalon HOLLIDAY  [6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]
  Gender	Female
  HIST	5 dead in murder-suicide Names released in Sumter murder-suicide that claimed 3 siblings, Shaw-based U.S. Army Central soldier Police: Man, former military, killed his 2 sons, 1 step-daughter, ex-wife's coworker From left, Russell Roark III, Chief of Police, and Robbie Baker, Coroner, address the media on March 22 about the Tuesday night's fatal shootings on Whitetail Circle. The Sumter Police Department addresses the media in a press conference about the fatal shootings that occurred on Tuesday night on Whitetail Circle in the Woodridge neighborhood. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Wednesday, March 22, 2023 5:04 pm If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, a national call service is available and provides a 24-hour service. To get help, call: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text "Hope4SC" to 741741. BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Bouquets of flowers rest in front of a Whitetail Circle residence as rain trickles down the petals. Next to a vase of red roses lay three stuffed toys for three siblings who were slain in their beds by the father of two of them. Their mother had called 911 about 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, according to Sumter Police Department. When police arrived at the home, they found her children shot to death and her ex-husband, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., 42, dead by apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Police Chief Russell Roark and Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker shared information regarding the case. Sumter Police Department’s Investigations Unit sat in the back of the room, quiet as both spoke. Roark said the mother, Aletha Holliday, was in her backyard with a coworker when Slacks entered the home using a key, walked outside and fired several shots at the coworker. Slacks then went back inside with Holliday in tow. Roark said he began to go upstairs, where the three children were sleeping, and pointed a gun in her direction. It was not indicated that he fired at her. According to Roark, Slacks and Holliday had two children together, Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5. He was a step-father to her oldest child, Ava Holliday, 11. Holliday’s cellphone was charging upstairs, and she was unable to call 911, Roark said. She ran outside to get a phone from the man who was shot in the backyard. She was unable to locate his phone and heard several gunshots fired in the house. “She comes back in the residence. She goes back up the stairs. Mr. Slacks is at the top of the stairs, puts the weapon to his head and commits suicide in her presence,” Roark said. She continued up the stairs to find her cellphone. She found Aason, Aayden and Ava dead. “She exited her residence and ran across the street to a neighbor, where she was seeking help and at the same time speaking with 911, providing information,” Roark said. The neighbor, who is reported to be security personnel at Shaw Air Force Base, entered the home to clear it before officers' arrival, Roark said. According to the incident report, officers found Holliday at the top of the stairs and secured the scene, and EMS tried performing life-saving measures before transporting Holliday's coworker, a 38-year-old man, to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, where he succumbed to his multiple injuries. “There’s some logistical issues as far as who’s the actual legal next of kin, so we do not, at the office, release the individual until we get in touch,” Baker said. Holliday and the man worked together at U.S. Army Central, which is headquartered on Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter. According to her LinkedIn page and DVIDS, a military-owned communication service that distributes photos, videos and articles from all branches of the U.S. military, as of 2022, Holliday was ranked sergeant major and serves as chief culinary manager. She was featured in the background of a recent Sumter Today episode by The Sumter Item on Sumter Rotary Club's Farm to Table event, seen hosting a booth with goodies from her catering company, Chocolate Brown Sugar, which makes "gourmet brownies and hand-dipped chocolate deliciousness." Maj. Jason Welch confirmed with The Sumter Item two people assigned to USARCENT died in the murder-suicide. Roark indicated Slacks was formerly in the military. It was not known whether he had been diagnosed with or suffered from PTSD or other mental health matters. Welch said the military waits 24 hours before releasing the names of deceased individuals. Sumter's coroner, Robbie Baker, said one autopsy will be conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina on Thursday morning, the two young boys' will be Friday morning at MUSC, and Slacks and his stepdaughter will be autopsied Saturday morning at MUSC. “They did all die from apparent gunshot,” Baker said. Sumter Police Department confirmed they're treating the deaths as four homicides and a suicide, Roark said. Baker said law enforcement agencies worked through the night at the scene. He asked media in attendance Wednesday to put themselves in the mother’s shoes and think of the family during this time. “This has been a tragic event for our community, for at least two families, for our first responders, our officers, EMS and firefighters who were on the scene. As adults, we’re not conditioned to bury children,” Roark said. “This touches us all. When you have a situation where little children are sleeping in the comfort of their own bed, and to not only have their life taken but particularly by a father and a stepfather, that’s difficult for us to rationalize.” Sumter School District Superintendent William Wright Jr. confirmed Wednesday that Aason and Aayden attended Millwood Elementary School, and Ava attended Alice Drive Middle School. School counselors and the district’s Crisis Response Team are at the schools for students and staff who need assistance with the loss. “Our hearts are filled with sadness, and we will continue to lend support to one another during this time,” Wright said. Roark said it is unknown why or how Slacks had a key to the residence or how long the two had been divorced. Investigators think the pair shared custody of their two children. A motive for the shooting is unknown, Roark said. “We’ve got a mother that is in her own home, an individual who she had a relationship with, at one point had trust with, who shared two children with that they brought into this world. She is distraught,” Roark said. “I think that anybody that has children, anybody that has empathy related to a child dying so violently, could understand how that mother is feeling.” Out of respect for Holliday, The Sumter Item chose not to share its photos and footage of her. He asked all to pray for the family and those affected. He said to his knowledge, this is a case with one of the most people to be slain by a family member in Sumter. There have been four fatal shootings so far this year in Sumter County that have resulted in eight deaths, including the Tuesday shooting, according to The Sumter Item's previous reporting. Two of the eight deaths were self-inflicted. Alaysha Maple contributed to this article. Slain soldier’s name released in Sumter murder-suicide More details revealed about shooter’s Army background U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans SPC AMBER COBENA Posted Thursday, March 23, 2023 12:35 pm If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, a national call service is available and provides a 24-hour service. To get help, call: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text "Hope4SC" to 741741. BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com By SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com The name of the 38-year-old soldier who was killed along with three children in a murder-suicide at a Whitetail Circle residence late Tuesday has been released. U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans, from Petersburg, Virginia, died of apparent gunshot wounds at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, Maj. Jason Welch said. He was the command sergeant major for the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of USARCENT. In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark shared details of the shooting where Evans and three children, who were siblings, were shot to death in the home of Aletha Holliday, the children’s mother and coworker of Evans. Holliday, who was home at the time and is the only surviving person, is a sergeant major and serves as chief culinary manager for USARCENT, according to her LinkedIn page and DVIDS, a military-owned communications distribution service. According to Roark, Holliday and Evans were in her backyard about 10 p.m. when her ex-husband, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., 42, entered the home using a key, walked outside and fired several shots at Evans. Slacks and Holliday had two children together, Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5, Roark said. He was the stepfather of her oldest child, Ava Holliday, 11. They were all shot and died in their beds. Evans joined the Army in July 2002 and served in multiple duty positions and locations around the globe until joining USARCENT in 2021. “Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans was an outstanding leader and caring friend who inspired and lifted up all those around him,” said Lt. Gen. Patrick D. Frank, USARCENT commanding general. “CSM Evans was well-known and respected by all, and the influence and impact he made within the unit will never fade. We collectively mourn the immense loss of his presence in our lives, and our thoughts and prayers are extended to CSM Evans’ family.” His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War Against Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals, Kuwait Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Badge and Expert Marksmanship Badge – Rifle. Slacks Jr. served in the U.S. Army as a tracked vehicle mechanic from June 1999 to July 2006. He held the rank of staff sergeant at the end of his service, which ended in 2006 when he was honorably discharged, Welch said. Slacks had eight non-consecutive years of federal service as a Department of the Army civilian and previously served at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and Fort Bliss, Texas, before beginning work at U.S. Army Central in February as a civilian. Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said Evans’ autopsy would be conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina Thursday morning, the two young boys’ will be Friday morning at MUSC, and Slacks and his stepdaughter will be autopsied Saturday morning at MUSC. Sumter Police Department confirmed they’re treating the deaths as four homicides and a suicide, Roark said. Note: Other, non-local media reports are using different spellings of the boys’ first names and the family’s last names. The Sumter Item’s spellings mirror the Sumter Police Department’s incident report and the mother’s Facebook. Community prayer services organized for this weekend after Sumter murder-suicide 1 event Saturday at Wayman Chapel AME, another Sunday at Alice Drive Baptist Church Posted Friday, March 24, 2023 6:00 am By BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com In response to Tuesday night's shooting in Sumter that claimed the lives of five, including three children, a soldier stationed at U.S. Army Central and a former soldier who was identified as the shooter, area pastors have organized a pair of separate services with slightly different focuses for the weekend. Pastors with Alice Drive Baptist Church and Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church spoke Thursday on the events and said the whole community is invited to both. The Alice Drive Baptist event will be a community prayer and support service on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Loring Mill Road church, according to Mandy Easton, creative pastor with Alice Drive. The event is being hosted and organized by Sumter Together, a cross-denominational, cross-racial group of pastors from the area that formed in 2020 to promote non-violence, she added. The service gathering will include Scripture reading, corporate prayers and times for reflection. Counselors for child abuse, domestic violence and mental health will be available on Sunday at the church from 3 to 5 p.m., she added. Alice Drive Baptist is at 1305 Loring Mill Road in the western part of the City of Sumter. On Saturday at 2 p.m., area AME churches will have a service to include prayers and conversation at Wayman Chapel AME, according to the church's pastor, the Rev. Robert China. The theme will be "Enough is enough: Stop the violence" and is about the ninth event the group has held since July 2021. Representatives from different areas of the community to include educators, first responders, parents/siblings, clergy and others will speak on how repeated violence affects them. Wayman Chapel AME is at 160 N. Kings Highway, Sumter. Sumter coroner: "I was not mentally prepared" for scene of children's deaths in murder-suicide Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker addresses the media on March 22 about Tuesday night's fatal shootings on Whitetail Circle as Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark III stands by. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Thursday, March 23, 2023 5:53 pm If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, a national call service is available and provides a 24-hour service. To get help, call: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text "Hope4SC" to 741741. BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com “Pray for Sumter” and sympathetic messages spread across social media on Wednesday. On the street, faces hung low and conversations were uneasy. A pink bow and two blue bows were paired together, lined down tree trunks in front of residences of Woodridge Subdivision. A Whitetail Circle home in the subdivision had a memorial of flowers, stuffed animals, precious items and letters from friends and strangers piled around a tree’s base. That pile grew 10 times in size in less than 24 hours as family members brought food inside and guarded the front door. Neighbors came and went, paying their respects to a mother who lost her daughter, both sons and a coworker in the blink of an eye Tuesday night. On Thursday afternoon, Aletha Holliday wrote on her business Facebook page (she runs a catering company that specializes in desserts and chocolate treats) that she and her family are appreciative of the abundant prayers, condolences and expressions of love. Following that message were smiling photographs of her three children — 11-year-old Ava Holliday, 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks and 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks. The three siblings, along with U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans, 38, were shot and killed, police told media, after Holliday's ex-husband, Charles Edwards Slacks Jr., 42, entered their home with a gun at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, with the final shot aimed at himself. Evans was found in the backyard and died at the hospital. The children were found dead in their beds. “I’ve seen about everything you could possibly think of,” Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said, “but that’s the first time I can say that I actually walked in a house and found three little kids shot to death.” Baker has witnessed many young children’s deaths in his six-year career as coroner and before that in his 29 years at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, but he said never in Tuesday night's capacity. Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark said during a news conference Wednesday this is the most people to be killed by a family member in Sumter to his knowledge and memory. “I’ve seen small children in car wrecks, and that’s bad. I’ve worked probably 12-15 child fatalities here a year, most of which are attributed to co-sleeping or they got some medical issue,” he said. “I was not mentally prepared for what I walked in and saw.” Baker said whenever he reports to the scene of a child's death, his grandchildren take over his mind. He has six. Five are boys, four of whom are two sets of twins at ages 6 and 8. When he walked into the residence to find Aason, a first-grader, and Aayden, a kindergartner, both of whom attended Millwood Elementary School, Baker’s emotions overcame him. “All I could think of was my grandkids, just being asleep and executed for no reason at all,” he said. “That’s something you don’t get out of your head. “You know there’s domestic-related murders. They happen in this country, unfortunately, every day, and they happen here. But to walk in and see three young children executed by their own father,” he said. “That’s something I will never, ever forget, and I hope I never do. It’s so tragic what that mother is going through.” Baker asks that the community thinks of the Holliday family and respects the mother’s privacy as she continues to grieve. The Sumter Item Baker said his coroner’s office has recent hires on his team who have never witnessed a case like this before. His friend, a Charleston coroner, has a mental health counselor on standby for his team after Tuesday night’s case. Note: Other, non-local media reports are using different spellings of the boys’ first names and the family’s last names. The Sumter Item’s spellings mirror the Sumter Police Department’s incident report and the mother’s Facebook. Celebration of life, funeral services for slain children, soldier set U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans SPC Amber Cobena Posted Wednesday, March 29, 2023 6:00 am STAFF REPORT Funeral arrangements have been made for the four people, including three young siblings, who were killed in a domestic shooting Tuesday, March 21, in Sumter. Aayden Jahari Holliday-Slacks died at age 5. He attended Millwood Elementary School with Aason Makai Holliday-Slacks, who died at age 6. Ava Jazlynn Holliday died at age 11. She attended Alice Drive Middle School. "It is with great sadness, Aletha Holliday announces the passing of her beloved children," a Facebook post "from the family" on the mother's business page stated Friday afternoon. "As we come together in remembrance of these beautiful and vibrant children who left an imprint on their hearts and minds of those who heard their laughter and felt their presence." The viewing will be held on Thursday, March 30, at Job's Mortuary, 312 S. Main St., in Sumter, according to the death notices for all three children that are in The Sumter Item's March 25-28 weekend edition. After a private viewing for family, a public viewing will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. A celebration of life service will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at Christ Community Church, 320 Loring Mill Road, according to the mother's business page on Facebook. Police say Aayden and Aason's father, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., was the shooter in a murder-suicide that claimed the lives of the three children and an Army co-worker of the mother, U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans. Holliday, the mother, is the sole survivor of the shooting. Aayden was born in West Point, New York. Aason was born in Honolulu, Oahu. Ava, daughter of Holliday and Andre Rush, was born in Overland Park, Kansas. To honor the children, the family is requesting attendees "celebrate their life with colorful attire." Those unable to attend can view the celebration of life service on Job's Mortuary's Facebook page. U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans A friend of Evans shared on Facebook that a homegoing celebration is in early planning stages for his brother in arms. "By now, many of you are aware of the passing of our bro, CSM Carlos Evans. On behalf of his wife, Alfreida Evans, and the family, I ask that you all keep his family lifted in your prayers as they continue to process this tragedy," wrote William H. Black, a command sergeant major at the 6th Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Regiment in the Army. Black shared that Evans' homegoing celebration will take place in his hometown of Petersburg, Virginia; the date and time are to be determined. "Final arrangements are forthcoming, and the family and his unit will publish the details once final. Please respect his wife, Free, daughter, Journey Evans, and their family at this time," Black wrote. Evans joined the Army in July 2002 and served in multiple duty positions and locations around the globe until joining USARCENT in 2021, according to ARCENT Public Affairs. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War Against Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals, Kuwait Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Badge and Expert Marksmanship Badge - Rifle. A USARCENT representative told The Sumter Item it will hold a private memorial service on Wednesday. Woodridge subdivision asks Sumter residents to display white bows for 3 slain children White ribbons are posted in trees and on mailboxes in the Woodridge subdivision for the Holliday family on Wednesday, March 29. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Thursday, March 30, 2023 6:00 am By SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com The color white has become a symbol of innocence in the Woodridge Subdivision to honor the three children who were slain by their father on March 21. When first pulling into the neighborhood, passersby are greeted by the Woodridge sign with white bows and flowers. In trees and on mailboxes and doors, more white bows hang throughout the place 11-year-old Ava Holliday, 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks and 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks once called home. On the night of March 21, their mother, Aletha Holliday, was the sole survivor of a shooting that took the lives of her three children and her Army co-worker, U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans. Police say Aayden and Aason's father, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., was the shooter in a murder-suicide. To bring the mother support, neighbors within the subdivision banded together with a simple idea. “Several of us in the neighborhood had a conversation on our community Facebook page about what we could do for Aletha and her family,” said Eddie Jackson, a resident of Woodridge Subdivision. “Somebody came up with the idea of making bows and putting them on all the trees in front of every house in the neighborhood.” At first, the bows were only on the trees, but they ended up spreading like wildfire. Jackson said it was the best thing, seeing the color white take over doors, mailboxes, flower beds and more. “White is the closest thing to innocence,” Jackson said, noting he thought it was the most honorable way to recognize the children. The most noticeable act in this recognition involved the subdivision’s greeting sign at the entrance. Jackson said residents tore up the old flowers under the sign and replaced them with donated white blooms. “When Aletha seen it, she asked that we don’t take it down any time soon. She was very humbled and appreciative,” Jackson said. Now, the neighborhood hopes all of Sumter can show their support to the Holliday family by placing white flowers, bows and ribbons on display at their homes. “We would like for the whole city, businesses, the homes … for them all to go with white bows in honor of these children that so tragically lost their lives,” Jackson said. Funeral arrangements change to bigger venue for 3 siblings slain in Sumter PHOTOS PROVIDED IN OBITUARIES TO THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Wednesday, March 29, 2023 11:53 am STAFF REPORT The celebration of life service for three young siblings who were killed in a domestic shooting Tuesday, March 21, in Sumter has had a change in locations. Originally planned to be held on Friday, March 31, at 1 p.m. at Salem Chapel and Heritage Center, according to death notices for all three children, the location has changed to a larger space. “Due to the outpouring of family and friends traveling across the nation and collective community loss, the celebration of life service has been moved,” an update read on the mother’s, Aletha Holliday, chef Facebook page. The service will continue to be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at Christ Community Church, 320 Loring Mill Road. The family asked those in attendance to “celebrate their life with colorful attire.” A viewing is still planned for Thursday, March 30, at Job’s Mortuary, 312 S. Main St. A private viewing for the family will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a public viewing will be 2-7 p.m. Those unable to attend the viewing can view the celebration of life service at Job’s Mortuary Facebook. Comfort, trauma and peace: Sumter churches hold service after murder-suicide rocks community Lauren and Lydia Olson embrace during the prayer and support service at Alice Drive Baptist Church on Sunday, March 26. Alice Drive hosted the service for the Sumter community in response to the recent shooting that left five dead in the Woodridge neighborhood of Sumter. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Tuesday, March 28, 2023 6:00 am BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Ava was known to love bright colors such as teal, coral, blue and green. Aason had a love for cars and going places fast. Aayden, a laid-back, mellow soul who often shouted from the mountain top how much he adored his family, was known to have the best sense of humor. The Rev. Dr. Clay Smith read these sentiments aloud Sunday afternoon from a family statement to a service held in response to the shooting of those three children and their mother's Army co-worker last week.The power of prayer. It is a universal communication method between an individual and a higher power that can shift focus in one's life by speaking simply from the heart. Many Sumterites stood tall with bowed heads and folded hands while others held tight to their neighbor, singing songs of grace and practicing the power of prayer on Sunday, as most believers do. But this was no ordinary Sunday church service. Hundreds gathered inside Alice Drive Baptist Church's worship center to seek comfort, work through trauma, find peace and yearn for hope after a tragic event that shook the community on the night of March 21. That night, Aletha Holliday was the sole survivor of a shooting that took the lives of her three children - Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5, Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and Ava Holliday, 11 - and her Army co-worker, U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans. Police say Aayden and Aason's father, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., was the shooter in a murder-suicide. In response, community pastors of all denominations created a Sumter prayer and support service for late Sunday afternoon. Smith, senior pastor of the Loring Mill Road church, and Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church Senior Pastor Marion Newton approached the podium together welcoming the crowd. "It's our privilege to host this event that's really came together in a miraculous way," Smith said. "We're doing this really as churches, the family of God, coming together to be able to express and share our grief." "We've come today as community leaders," Newton added. "As we pray for the victims of families everywhere who have witnessed the death of their loved ones, we pray that God will help us to help them find some healing in these times." The service began with a statement from the Holliday family, which Smith read aloud. "We greatly appreciate the outpouring of prayers and support that we have received thus far. I'm sure that everyone can understand the shock and devastation of our loss, but we are grateful for the show of love and compassion that we are receiving," the statement read. "From the meal train, to the thoughtful gestures of flowers, stuffed animals and various donations received by the family from the community, we remain appreciative and grateful for your diligence in wanting to support and alleviate the burden." The statement also shared words about the three children, all siblings, who were killed. "These bright, young souls will truly be missed," the Holliday family wrote in a statement. "Our saving grace is that they are all together." As the statement was read aloud, faint smiles filled the worship center. Heads rested on a nearby shoulder. Some smiles were paired with a single tear being wiped from a cheek. "When Pastor Clay called me about this coming together, he mentioned three key words: comfort, trauma and peace," Sumter Mayor David Merchant said. "This morning, one of the family members, a spokesperson for the Holliday family, read that statement that you read, but also she added three words or phrases: be kind, be loving, be compassionate." To find comfort, one must be kind; when dealing with trauma, we are reminded to be loving; and when you strive for peace, you will find it by being compassionate. Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark said the power of prayer is a way for first responders to press on in the difficult tasks they are challenged with every day. He asked all to pray for first responders who witnessed the tragedy firsthand and for the community as it heals. "We experienced a terrible crisis," he said. "We believe in prayer and what we do. It affects our youth, our jobs, how we serve this community." Pastor Greg Pressley, of First Church of the Nazarene, spoke of comfort with 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. Lifeway Counseling therapist and wife of Clay Smith, Gina Smith, spoke on the concept of trauma through Psalm 107:28-32. Assistant Pastor Nate Brock, of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, referenced John 14:27 when speaking on peace. Many nodded in agreement that all should look for peace in the midst of trauma or when searching for comfort. However, it doesn't end with peace. Mt. Zion Baptist Church Pastor James Blassingame concluded the prayer service with the concept of hope with Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." "Amen" echoed the worship center as Blassingame asked the believers in the room to put their trust in God's hands so that they and the Sumter community can be overflowed with hope. Following Blassingame's sermon, all pastors in attendance were invited to line the walls and be available for personal prayer. "How can I pray for you?" A simple question that went a long way between a pastor and believer of faith. One pastor placed his hand on the shoulder of a first responder in uniform, and both bowed their heads in unison. At the same time, a sea of bodies walked to the front of the worship center and knelt before the stairs, meeting stacks of notecards and pens. It was hard not to give in to emotion as many wrote prayers for first responders, the Hollidays, the Evanses and more. Smith said the cards will be divided among the community churches and prayed for during their regular services. "It Is Well With My Soul" concluded the prayer service. Pairs clung together at the hip and heads rested on shoulders as voices carried the verses to the ceiling. Hope flowed. On hand before and after the prayer service were community resources from Durant Children's Center, United States Air Force Family Advocacy Program, Hidden Wounds, YWCA of the Upper Lowlands, Sumter County Sheriff's Office, Grief and Bereavement Resource Center Inc. and Re-discover ME Women's Initiative. A celebration of life service will be held for the children on Friday. Read Wednesday's paper or go online to TheItem.com for more information. 'Enough is Enough' say Sumter AMEs; District churches hold vigil against gun violence Marcelus Odom speaks as a parent who lost a child to gun violence during the Sumter District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church's prayer vigil and "Enough is Enough" rally against gun violence at Wayman Chapel AMEC on Saturday, March 25. SHELBIE GOULDING / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Tuesday, March 28, 2023 6:00 am BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Members of the 26 Sumter District African Methodist Episcopal churches gathered at Wayman Chapel AMEC Saturday afternoon to say "Enough is Enough" when it comes to gun violence. The theme encompasses an ongoing push to end gun violence and is the ninth event the group has held since July 2021. It was planned a month ago, but the is at the forefront in Sumter after the fatal shooting of three young siblings and a U.S. Army Central soldier late Tuesday. Police say it was a domestic incident where the children's father/stepfather was the shooter. He also died during the rampage. "The whole community is upset with that situation, but we're upset about any person who is a victim of gun violence," said the Rev. Robert China Jr. "We're here today to try, to preferably, hopefully make a difference." More than 60 people attended, 15 of whom were children. Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis, along with Chief Deputy Hampton Gardner, attended the vigil, as well as Sumter County Councilman Carlton Washington. China said Lee County Sheriff Daniel Simon planned to attend and was on his way but was called to a shooting incident and had to turn around. China said that only emphasized how important it is for the community to come together. "That's our prayer and our desire; put a stop to it," China said. "We have to keep doing this, and in the Sumter District we do not consider this a program, but this is a ministry," he added. "We cannot just sit by as a church and talk about how much of a shame it is - the shooting and the violence - we cannot just sit around and talk about how bad it is and how much of a shame it is." China preached about how important choices can be in an individual's life, especially in Sumter's youth. He spoke directly to the older generation, which populated more of the audience than the youth, and said it was their job as elders to let their children know their choices have consequences. "As the church, we have to stand up and say to the world that God's word is true," he praised. "We have to let them know that there's something better and God has something better, Jesus has something better for us, and we just make the choices." Many representatives in courts, education, first responders and clergy were invited to speak about the topic of "how violence affects statements." One speaker was Marcelus Odom, a parent from Cayce. On July 31, 2021, Odom said he lost his 14-year-old son to "negligence on behalf of parenting," "stupidity" from people he thought were his friends and someone whom he placed his trust in. "My son snuck out from his home in Gaston, where he was residing with his mother. The young men came and picked him up," he said. "They went back to one of the young men's house in the city of West Columbia." Odom was told the tenant of the house left the children alone for a few days unattended and didn't know what was in the house or going on. According to Odom, one of the young men, who was a so-called friend to his son, walked into a room where his son was sitting on the bed playing on his phone. "When he looked up from his phone, he shot him in his face," Odom said. "According to the coroner, when we spoke to the coroner, they said he died instantly. My son was shot in his right eye, and the bullet exited out the side of his neck, severed his spine and killed him." Daeun Marcelis Odom was 6 feet 2 inches tall and a standout athlete. He was two weeks shy of going to high school, Odom said. "This has greatly affected not only myself and his mother, but his friends and the community," Odom said. "Unfortunately, he made the wrong decisions by involving himself with young men who had no guidance, whose parents did not care what they did." The young man pleaded guilty to murder but received a sentence to not exceed his 22nd birthday, as he was a juvenile. "They said he didn't meet certain criteria to be waived up as an adult," Odom said. "He has the opportunity to get out and possibly live his life fully free, and his record is sealed because as a juvenile, once you become a certain age, your record is sealed." Odom is no stranger to hardship. He has dealt with consequences from his decisions as a young juvenile and young man. "I ended up, unfortunately, going to federal prison," he said. "I came home with a plan to not only better myself but better my community as well as my children." He warned his son of choices and consequences, and he wished he could have reached him before it was too late. There were many warning signs leading up to his son's death. Odom said that same year, his son and the group he hung out with were shot at a total of 28 times. His is son had a bullet graze his face. "That is one of the hardest things I ever had to deal with as a parent," he said. "You only get one life, and once you lose your life, there's no coming back. "Many of you, especially youngsters in the audience, you look like you could be around my son's age or a little bit younger than him. Our youth are our future. Without our youth, we have no future." We cry for the love: Thoughts on a Sumter family’s grief and a community’s support The community gathers Friday, March 31, at Christ Community Church in Sumter for a celebration of life service for 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks and 11-year-old Ava Holliday, who were killed on March 21. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Saturday, April 1, 2023 6:00 am GOULDING BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Soldiers are trained to be strong. To remain stoic at times one shouldn't. Never have I seen a soldier fight tears harder than the mother who lost her three children and had every right to grieve. Aletha Holliday's two sons, 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks and 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks, and her daughter, 11-year-old Ava Holliday, were shot to death in their beds March 21 along with Holliday's Army co-worker. Police say her ex-husband, the father of the two boys, killed them before turning his gun on himself. In my nearly four-year career as a journalist at The Sumter Item, I've had some rough stories come across my desk. This has by far been the worst. In this industry, we're taught to get the story out first. To be ahead of the pack. In most situations that's true, but in this circumstance, that's not the priority. Quality, accuracy and, believe it or not, empathy matter more than getting to the finish line first. With the breaking story and all that followed, that's what mattered. Making the choice to be human. The family asked no cameras to be inside. I went to show my condolences to the Holliday family and observe. I didn't want to intrude by trying to interview anyone. I sat in the bright-colored crowd. It was nothing short of serene. Aletha, dressed in a coral top - one of her daughter's many favorite colors - was surrounded by love, support and powerful prayers. I've witnessed a community response like no other for this mother. Heck, a nationwide response because of the attention the killings got and her culinary work at U.S. Army Central, which is headquartered in Sumter at Shaw Air Force Base. The military brings people across the globe. Each child was born in a different state. Clergy from across the country came in support of the Holliday family, and the eulogy from Bishop Geoffrey Dudley Sr., of New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church in O'Fallon, Illinois, began with action rather than words. He walked down from the stage to stand with Holliday and Andre Rush, Ava's father. He asked them and those in attendance to praise the children's names to the heavens. Both did their best to remain stoic as they shouted "Ava" and then "Aason." Aletha began to break, tears falling as she called her youngest son's name, "Aayden." I wouldn't have been able to do it. Never have I seen a community, as a whole, provide such a clutch to someone in need. Shortly behind her shouts, the crowd followed suit. Only when she said Aayden's name did the crowd behind her cry "Aayden!" I never met these three children or soldier Carlos Evans. I never had the pleasure of meeting their mother before learning of her name on March 22. That's the hard part about this job. There will be times when we have to be reporters and get the story, but there are also days where we, too, feel grief. We, too, are part of the community and feel its hurt. This is the second time in my career where I've had to hold back tears on the job and remain professional, and it probably won't be the last. But, I will gladly cry in following the advice of the Rev. William Dupree, of New First Baptist Church in Maury City, Tennessee. In closing prayer, he advised all at the celebration of life service to "not cry for the tragedy, but for the love." So, we cry.  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]
  HIST	5 dead in murder-suicide Names released in Sumter murder-suicide that claimed 3 siblings, Shaw-based U.S. Army Central soldier Police: Man, former military, killed his 2 sons, 1 step-daughter, ex-wife's coworker From left, Russell Roark III, Chief of Police, and Robbie Baker, Coroner, address the media on March 22 about the Tuesday night's fatal shootings on Whitetail Circle. The Sumter Police Department addresses the media in a press conference about the fatal shootings that occurred on Tuesday night on Whitetail Circle in the Woodridge neighborhood. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Wednesday, March 22, 2023 5:04 pm If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, a national call service is available and provides a 24-hour service. To get help, call: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text "Hope4SC" to 741741. BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Bouquets of flowers rest in front of a Whitetail Circle residence as rain trickles down the petals. Next to a vase of red roses lay three stuffed toys for three siblings who were slain in their beds by the father of two of them. Their mother had called 911 about 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, according to Sumter Police Department. When police arrived at the home, they found her children shot to death and her ex-husband, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., 42, dead by apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Police Chief Russell Roark and Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker shared information regarding the case. Sumter Police Department’s Investigations Unit sat in the back of the room, quiet as both spoke. Roark said the mother, Aletha Holliday, was in her backyard with a coworker when Slacks entered the home using a key, walked outside and fired several shots at the coworker. Slacks then went back inside with Holliday in tow. Roark said he began to go upstairs, where the three children were sleeping, and pointed a gun in her direction. It was not indicated that he fired at her. According to Roark, Slacks and Holliday had two children together, Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5. He was a step-father to her oldest child, Ava Holliday, 11. Holliday’s cellphone was charging upstairs, and she was unable to call 911, Roark said. She ran outside to get a phone from the man who was shot in the backyard. She was unable to locate his phone and heard several gunshots fired in the house. “She comes back in the residence. She goes back up the stairs. Mr. Slacks is at the top of the stairs, puts the weapon to his head and commits suicide in her presence,” Roark said. She continued up the stairs to find her cellphone. She found Aason, Aayden and Ava dead. “She exited her residence and ran across the street to a neighbor, where she was seeking help and at the same time speaking with 911, providing information,” Roark said. The neighbor, who is reported to be security personnel at Shaw Air Force Base, entered the home to clear it before officers' arrival, Roark said. According to the incident report, officers found Holliday at the top of the stairs and secured the scene, and EMS tried performing life-saving measures before transporting Holliday's coworker, a 38-year-old man, to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, where he succumbed to his multiple injuries. “There’s some logistical issues as far as who’s the actual legal next of kin, so we do not, at the office, release the individual until we get in touch,” Baker said. Holliday and the man worked together at U.S. Army Central, which is headquartered on Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter. According to her LinkedIn page and DVIDS, a military-owned communication service that distributes photos, videos and articles from all branches of the U.S. military, as of 2022, Holliday was ranked sergeant major and serves as chief culinary manager. She was featured in the background of a recent Sumter Today episode by The Sumter Item on Sumter Rotary Club's Farm to Table event, seen hosting a booth with goodies from her catering company, Chocolate Brown Sugar, which makes "gourmet brownies and hand-dipped chocolate deliciousness." Maj. Jason Welch confirmed with The Sumter Item two people assigned to USARCENT died in the murder-suicide. Roark indicated Slacks was formerly in the military. It was not known whether he had been diagnosed with or suffered from PTSD or other mental health matters. Welch said the military waits 24 hours before releasing the names of deceased individuals. Sumter's coroner, Robbie Baker, said one autopsy will be conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina on Thursday morning, the two young boys' will be Friday morning at MUSC, and Slacks and his stepdaughter will be autopsied Saturday morning at MUSC. “They did all die from apparent gunshot,” Baker said. Sumter Police Department confirmed they're treating the deaths as four homicides and a suicide, Roark said. Baker said law enforcement agencies worked through the night at the scene. He asked media in attendance Wednesday to put themselves in the mother’s shoes and think of the family during this time. “This has been a tragic event for our community, for at least two families, for our first responders, our officers, EMS and firefighters who were on the scene. As adults, we’re not conditioned to bury children,” Roark said. “This touches us all. When you have a situation where little children are sleeping in the comfort of their own bed, and to not only have their life taken but particularly by a father and a stepfather, that’s difficult for us to rationalize.” Sumter School District Superintendent William Wright Jr. confirmed Wednesday that Aason and Aayden attended Millwood Elementary School, and Ava attended Alice Drive Middle School. School counselors and the district’s Crisis Response Team are at the schools for students and staff who need assistance with the loss. “Our hearts are filled with sadness, and we will continue to lend support to one another during this time,” Wright said. Roark said it is unknown why or how Slacks had a key to the residence or how long the two had been divorced. Investigators think the pair shared custody of their two children. A motive for the shooting is unknown, Roark said. “We’ve got a mother that is in her own home, an individual who she had a relationship with, at one point had trust with, who shared two children with that they brought into this world. She is distraught,” Roark said. “I think that anybody that has children, anybody that has empathy related to a child dying so violently, could understand how that mother is feeling.” Out of respect for Holliday, The Sumter Item chose not to share its photos and footage of her. He asked all to pray for the family and those affected. He said to his knowledge, this is a case with one of the most people to be slain by a family member in Sumter. There have been four fatal shootings so far this year in Sumter County that have resulted in eight deaths, including the Tuesday shooting, according to The Sumter Item's previous reporting. Two of the eight deaths were self-inflicted. Alaysha Maple contributed to this article. Slain soldier’s name released in Sumter murder-suicide More details revealed about shooter’s Army background U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans SPC AMBER COBENA Posted Thursday, March 23, 2023 12:35 pm If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, a national call service is available and provides a 24-hour service. To get help, call: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text "Hope4SC" to 741741. BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com By SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com The name of the 38-year-old soldier who was killed along with three children in a murder-suicide at a Whitetail Circle residence late Tuesday has been released. U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans, from Petersburg, Virginia, died of apparent gunshot wounds at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, Maj. Jason Welch said. He was the command sergeant major for the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of USARCENT. In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark shared details of the shooting where Evans and three children, who were siblings, were shot to death in the home of Aletha Holliday, the children’s mother and coworker of Evans. Holliday, who was home at the time and is the only surviving person, is a sergeant major and serves as chief culinary manager for USARCENT, according to her LinkedIn page and DVIDS, a military-owned communications distribution service. According to Roark, Holliday and Evans were in her backyard about 10 p.m. when her ex-husband, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., 42, entered the home using a key, walked outside and fired several shots at Evans. Slacks and Holliday had two children together, Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5, Roark said. He was the stepfather of her oldest child, Ava Holliday, 11. They were all shot and died in their beds. Evans joined the Army in July 2002 and served in multiple duty positions and locations around the globe until joining USARCENT in 2021. “Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans was an outstanding leader and caring friend who inspired and lifted up all those around him,” said Lt. Gen. Patrick D. Frank, USARCENT commanding general. “CSM Evans was well-known and respected by all, and the influence and impact he made within the unit will never fade. We collectively mourn the immense loss of his presence in our lives, and our thoughts and prayers are extended to CSM Evans’ family.” His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War Against Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals, Kuwait Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Badge and Expert Marksmanship Badge – Rifle. Slacks Jr. served in the U.S. Army as a tracked vehicle mechanic from June 1999 to July 2006. He held the rank of staff sergeant at the end of his service, which ended in 2006 when he was honorably discharged, Welch said. Slacks had eight non-consecutive years of federal service as a Department of the Army civilian and previously served at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and Fort Bliss, Texas, before beginning work at U.S. Army Central in February as a civilian. Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said Evans’ autopsy would be conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina Thursday morning, the two young boys’ will be Friday morning at MUSC, and Slacks and his stepdaughter will be autopsied Saturday morning at MUSC. Sumter Police Department confirmed they’re treating the deaths as four homicides and a suicide, Roark said. Note: Other, non-local media reports are using different spellings of the boys’ first names and the family’s last names. The Sumter Item’s spellings mirror the Sumter Police Department’s incident report and the mother’s Facebook. Community prayer services organized for this weekend after Sumter murder-suicide 1 event Saturday at Wayman Chapel AME, another Sunday at Alice Drive Baptist Church Posted Friday, March 24, 2023 6:00 am By BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com In response to Tuesday night's shooting in Sumter that claimed the lives of five, including three children, a soldier stationed at U.S. Army Central and a former soldier who was identified as the shooter, area pastors have organized a pair of separate services with slightly different focuses for the weekend. Pastors with Alice Drive Baptist Church and Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church spoke Thursday on the events and said the whole community is invited to both. The Alice Drive Baptist event will be a community prayer and support service on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Loring Mill Road church, according to Mandy Easton, creative pastor with Alice Drive. The event is being hosted and organized by Sumter Together, a cross-denominational, cross-racial group of pastors from the area that formed in 2020 to promote non-violence, she added. The service gathering will include Scripture reading, corporate prayers and times for reflection. Counselors for child abuse, domestic violence and mental health will be available on Sunday at the church from 3 to 5 p.m., she added. Alice Drive Baptist is at 1305 Loring Mill Road in the western part of the City of Sumter. On Saturday at 2 p.m., area AME churches will have a service to include prayers and conversation at Wayman Chapel AME, according to the church's pastor, the Rev. Robert China. The theme will be "Enough is enough: Stop the violence" and is about the ninth event the group has held since July 2021. Representatives from different areas of the community to include educators, first responders, parents/siblings, clergy and others will speak on how repeated violence affects them. Wayman Chapel AME is at 160 N. Kings Highway, Sumter. Sumter coroner: "I was not mentally prepared" for scene of children's deaths in murder-suicide Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker addresses the media on March 22 about Tuesday night's fatal shootings on Whitetail Circle as Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark III stands by. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Thursday, March 23, 2023 5:53 pm If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, a national call service is available and provides a 24-hour service. To get help, call: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text "Hope4SC" to 741741. BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com “Pray for Sumter” and sympathetic messages spread across social media on Wednesday. On the street, faces hung low and conversations were uneasy. A pink bow and two blue bows were paired together, lined down tree trunks in front of residences of Woodridge Subdivision. A Whitetail Circle home in the subdivision had a memorial of flowers, stuffed animals, precious items and letters from friends and strangers piled around a tree’s base. That pile grew 10 times in size in less than 24 hours as family members brought food inside and guarded the front door. Neighbors came and went, paying their respects to a mother who lost her daughter, both sons and a coworker in the blink of an eye Tuesday night. On Thursday afternoon, Aletha Holliday wrote on her business Facebook page (she runs a catering company that specializes in desserts and chocolate treats) that she and her family are appreciative of the abundant prayers, condolences and expressions of love. Following that message were smiling photographs of her three children — 11-year-old Ava Holliday, 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks and 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks. The three siblings, along with U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans, 38, were shot and killed, police told media, after Holliday's ex-husband, Charles Edwards Slacks Jr., 42, entered their home with a gun at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, with the final shot aimed at himself. Evans was found in the backyard and died at the hospital. The children were found dead in their beds. “I’ve seen about everything you could possibly think of,” Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said, “but that’s the first time I can say that I actually walked in a house and found three little kids shot to death.” Baker has witnessed many young children’s deaths in his six-year career as coroner and before that in his 29 years at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, but he said never in Tuesday night's capacity. Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark said during a news conference Wednesday this is the most people to be killed by a family member in Sumter to his knowledge and memory. “I’ve seen small children in car wrecks, and that’s bad. I’ve worked probably 12-15 child fatalities here a year, most of which are attributed to co-sleeping or they got some medical issue,” he said. “I was not mentally prepared for what I walked in and saw.” Baker said whenever he reports to the scene of a child's death, his grandchildren take over his mind. He has six. Five are boys, four of whom are two sets of twins at ages 6 and 8. When he walked into the residence to find Aason, a first-grader, and Aayden, a kindergartner, both of whom attended Millwood Elementary School, Baker’s emotions overcame him. “All I could think of was my grandkids, just being asleep and executed for no reason at all,” he said. “That’s something you don’t get out of your head. “You know there’s domestic-related murders. They happen in this country, unfortunately, every day, and they happen here. But to walk in and see three young children executed by their own father,” he said. “That’s something I will never, ever forget, and I hope I never do. It’s so tragic what that mother is going through.” Baker asks that the community thinks of the Holliday family and respects the mother’s privacy as she continues to grieve. The Sumter Item Baker said his coroner’s office has recent hires on his team who have never witnessed a case like this before. His friend, a Charleston coroner, has a mental health counselor on standby for his team after Tuesday night’s case. Note: Other, non-local media reports are using different spellings of the boys’ first names and the family’s last names. The Sumter Item’s spellings mirror the Sumter Police Department’s incident report and the mother’s Facebook. Celebration of life, funeral services for slain children, soldier set U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans SPC Amber Cobena Posted Wednesday, March 29, 2023 6:00 am STAFF REPORT Funeral arrangements have been made for the four people, including three young siblings, who were killed in a domestic shooting Tuesday, March 21, in Sumter. Aayden Jahari Holliday-Slacks died at age 5. He attended Millwood Elementary School with Aason Makai Holliday-Slacks, who died at age 6. Ava Jazlynn Holliday died at age 11. She attended Alice Drive Middle School. "It is with great sadness, Aletha Holliday announces the passing of her beloved children," a Facebook post "from the family" on the mother's business page stated Friday afternoon. "As we come together in remembrance of these beautiful and vibrant children who left an imprint on their hearts and minds of those who heard their laughter and felt their presence." The viewing will be held on Thursday, March 30, at Job's Mortuary, 312 S. Main St., in Sumter, according to the death notices for all three children that are in The Sumter Item's March 25-28 weekend edition. After a private viewing for family, a public viewing will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. A celebration of life service will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at Christ Community Church, 320 Loring Mill Road, according to the mother's business page on Facebook. Police say Aayden and Aason's father, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., was the shooter in a murder-suicide that claimed the lives of the three children and an Army co-worker of the mother, U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans. Holliday, the mother, is the sole survivor of the shooting. Aayden was born in West Point, New York. Aason was born in Honolulu, Oahu. Ava, daughter of Holliday and Andre Rush, was born in Overland Park, Kansas. To honor the children, the family is requesting attendees "celebrate their life with colorful attire." Those unable to attend can view the celebration of life service on Job's Mortuary's Facebook page. U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans A friend of Evans shared on Facebook that a homegoing celebration is in early planning stages for his brother in arms. "By now, many of you are aware of the passing of our bro, CSM Carlos Evans. On behalf of his wife, Alfreida Evans, and the family, I ask that you all keep his family lifted in your prayers as they continue to process this tragedy," wrote William H. Black, a command sergeant major at the 6th Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Regiment in the Army. Black shared that Evans' homegoing celebration will take place in his hometown of Petersburg, Virginia; the date and time are to be determined. "Final arrangements are forthcoming, and the family and his unit will publish the details once final. Please respect his wife, Free, daughter, Journey Evans, and their family at this time," Black wrote. Evans joined the Army in July 2002 and served in multiple duty positions and locations around the globe until joining USARCENT in 2021, according to ARCENT Public Affairs. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War Against Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals, Kuwait Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Badge and Expert Marksmanship Badge - Rifle. A USARCENT representative told The Sumter Item it will hold a private memorial service on Wednesday. Woodridge subdivision asks Sumter residents to display white bows for 3 slain children White ribbons are posted in trees and on mailboxes in the Woodridge subdivision for the Holliday family on Wednesday, March 29. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Thursday, March 30, 2023 6:00 am By SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com The color white has become a symbol of innocence in the Woodridge Subdivision to honor the three children who were slain by their father on March 21. When first pulling into the neighborhood, passersby are greeted by the Woodridge sign with white bows and flowers. In trees and on mailboxes and doors, more white bows hang throughout the place 11-year-old Ava Holliday, 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks and 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks once called home. On the night of March 21, their mother, Aletha Holliday, was the sole survivor of a shooting that took the lives of her three children and her Army co-worker, U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans. Police say Aayden and Aason's father, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., was the shooter in a murder-suicide. To bring the mother support, neighbors within the subdivision banded together with a simple idea. “Several of us in the neighborhood had a conversation on our community Facebook page about what we could do for Aletha and her family,” said Eddie Jackson, a resident of Woodridge Subdivision. “Somebody came up with the idea of making bows and putting them on all the trees in front of every house in the neighborhood.” At first, the bows were only on the trees, but they ended up spreading like wildfire. Jackson said it was the best thing, seeing the color white take over doors, mailboxes, flower beds and more. “White is the closest thing to innocence,” Jackson said, noting he thought it was the most honorable way to recognize the children. The most noticeable act in this recognition involved the subdivision’s greeting sign at the entrance. Jackson said residents tore up the old flowers under the sign and replaced them with donated white blooms. “When Aletha seen it, she asked that we don’t take it down any time soon. She was very humbled and appreciative,” Jackson said. Now, the neighborhood hopes all of Sumter can show their support to the Holliday family by placing white flowers, bows and ribbons on display at their homes. “We would like for the whole city, businesses, the homes … for them all to go with white bows in honor of these children that so tragically lost their lives,” Jackson said. Funeral arrangements change to bigger venue for 3 siblings slain in Sumter PHOTOS PROVIDED IN OBITUARIES TO THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Wednesday, March 29, 2023 11:53 am STAFF REPORT The celebration of life service for three young siblings who were killed in a domestic shooting Tuesday, March 21, in Sumter has had a change in locations. Originally planned to be held on Friday, March 31, at 1 p.m. at Salem Chapel and Heritage Center, according to death notices for all three children, the location has changed to a larger space. “Due to the outpouring of family and friends traveling across the nation and collective community loss, the celebration of life service has been moved,” an update read on the mother’s, Aletha Holliday, chef Facebook page. The service will continue to be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at Christ Community Church, 320 Loring Mill Road. The family asked those in attendance to “celebrate their life with colorful attire.” A viewing is still planned for Thursday, March 30, at Job’s Mortuary, 312 S. Main St. A private viewing for the family will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a public viewing will be 2-7 p.m. Those unable to attend the viewing can view the celebration of life service at Job’s Mortuary Facebook. Comfort, trauma and peace: Sumter churches hold service after murder-suicide rocks community Lauren and Lydia Olson embrace during the prayer and support service at Alice Drive Baptist Church on Sunday, March 26. Alice Drive hosted the service for the Sumter community in response to the recent shooting that left five dead in the Woodridge neighborhood of Sumter. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Tuesday, March 28, 2023 6:00 am BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Ava was known to love bright colors such as teal, coral, blue and green. Aason had a love for cars and going places fast. Aayden, a laid-back, mellow soul who often shouted from the mountain top how much he adored his family, was known to have the best sense of humor. The Rev. Dr. Clay Smith read these sentiments aloud Sunday afternoon from a family statement to a service held in response to the shooting of those three children and their mother's Army co-worker last week.The power of prayer. It is a universal communication method between an individual and a higher power that can shift focus in one's life by speaking simply from the heart. Many Sumterites stood tall with bowed heads and folded hands while others held tight to their neighbor, singing songs of grace and practicing the power of prayer on Sunday, as most believers do. But this was no ordinary Sunday church service. Hundreds gathered inside Alice Drive Baptist Church's worship center to seek comfort, work through trauma, find peace and yearn for hope after a tragic event that shook the community on the night of March 21. That night, Aletha Holliday was the sole survivor of a shooting that took the lives of her three children - Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5, Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and Ava Holliday, 11 - and her Army co-worker, U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans. Police say Aayden and Aason's father, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., was the shooter in a murder-suicide. In response, community pastors of all denominations created a Sumter prayer and support service for late Sunday afternoon. Smith, senior pastor of the Loring Mill Road church, and Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church Senior Pastor Marion Newton approached the podium together welcoming the crowd. "It's our privilege to host this event that's really came together in a miraculous way," Smith said. "We're doing this really as churches, the family of God, coming together to be able to express and share our grief." "We've come today as community leaders," Newton added. "As we pray for the victims of families everywhere who have witnessed the death of their loved ones, we pray that God will help us to help them find some healing in these times." The service began with a statement from the Holliday family, which Smith read aloud. "We greatly appreciate the outpouring of prayers and support that we have received thus far. I'm sure that everyone can understand the shock and devastation of our loss, but we are grateful for the show of love and compassion that we are receiving," the statement read. "From the meal train, to the thoughtful gestures of flowers, stuffed animals and various donations received by the family from the community, we remain appreciative and grateful for your diligence in wanting to support and alleviate the burden." The statement also shared words about the three children, all siblings, who were killed. "These bright, young souls will truly be missed," the Holliday family wrote in a statement. "Our saving grace is that they are all together." As the statement was read aloud, faint smiles filled the worship center. Heads rested on a nearby shoulder. Some smiles were paired with a single tear being wiped from a cheek. "When Pastor Clay called me about this coming together, he mentioned three key words: comfort, trauma and peace," Sumter Mayor David Merchant said. "This morning, one of the family members, a spokesperson for the Holliday family, read that statement that you read, but also she added three words or phrases: be kind, be loving, be compassionate." To find comfort, one must be kind; when dealing with trauma, we are reminded to be loving; and when you strive for peace, you will find it by being compassionate. Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark said the power of prayer is a way for first responders to press on in the difficult tasks they are challenged with every day. He asked all to pray for first responders who witnessed the tragedy firsthand and for the community as it heals. "We experienced a terrible crisis," he said. "We believe in prayer and what we do. It affects our youth, our jobs, how we serve this community." Pastor Greg Pressley, of First Church of the Nazarene, spoke of comfort with 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. Lifeway Counseling therapist and wife of Clay Smith, Gina Smith, spoke on the concept of trauma through Psalm 107:28-32. Assistant Pastor Nate Brock, of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, referenced John 14:27 when speaking on peace. Many nodded in agreement that all should look for peace in the midst of trauma or when searching for comfort. However, it doesn't end with peace. Mt. Zion Baptist Church Pastor James Blassingame concluded the prayer service with the concept of hope with Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." "Amen" echoed the worship center as Blassingame asked the believers in the room to put their trust in God's hands so that they and the Sumter community can be overflowed with hope. Following Blassingame's sermon, all pastors in attendance were invited to line the walls and be available for personal prayer. "How can I pray for you?" A simple question that went a long way between a pastor and believer of faith. One pastor placed his hand on the shoulder of a first responder in uniform, and both bowed their heads in unison. At the same time, a sea of bodies walked to the front of the worship center and knelt before the stairs, meeting stacks of notecards and pens. It was hard not to give in to emotion as many wrote prayers for first responders, the Hollidays, the Evanses and more. Smith said the cards will be divided among the community churches and prayed for during their regular services. "It Is Well With My Soul" concluded the prayer service. Pairs clung together at the hip and heads rested on shoulders as voices carried the verses to the ceiling. Hope flowed. On hand before and after the prayer service were community resources from Durant Children's Center, United States Air Force Family Advocacy Program, Hidden Wounds, YWCA of the Upper Lowlands, Sumter County Sheriff's Office, Grief and Bereavement Resource Center Inc. and Re-discover ME Women's Initiative. A celebration of life service will be held for the children on Friday. Read Wednesday's paper or go online to TheItem.com for more information. 'Enough is Enough' say Sumter AMEs; District churches hold vigil against gun violence Marcelus Odom speaks as a parent who lost a child to gun violence during the Sumter District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church's prayer vigil and "Enough is Enough" rally against gun violence at Wayman Chapel AMEC on Saturday, March 25. SHELBIE GOULDING / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Tuesday, March 28, 2023 6:00 am BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Members of the 26 Sumter District African Methodist Episcopal churches gathered at Wayman Chapel AMEC Saturday afternoon to say "Enough is Enough" when it comes to gun violence. The theme encompasses an ongoing push to end gun violence and is the ninth event the group has held since July 2021. It was planned a month ago, but the is at the forefront in Sumter after the fatal shooting of three young siblings and a U.S. Army Central soldier late Tuesday. Police say it was a domestic incident where the children's father/stepfather was the shooter. He also died during the rampage. "The whole community is upset with that situation, but we're upset about any person who is a victim of gun violence," said the Rev. Robert China Jr. "We're here today to try, to preferably, hopefully make a difference." More than 60 people attended, 15 of whom were children. Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis, along with Chief Deputy Hampton Gardner, attended the vigil, as well as Sumter County Councilman Carlton Washington. China said Lee County Sheriff Daniel Simon planned to attend and was on his way but was called to a shooting incident and had to turn around. China said that only emphasized how important it is for the community to come together. "That's our prayer and our desire; put a stop to it," China said. "We have to keep doing this, and in the Sumter District we do not consider this a program, but this is a ministry," he added. "We cannot just sit by as a church and talk about how much of a shame it is - the shooting and the violence - we cannot just sit around and talk about how bad it is and how much of a shame it is." China preached about how important choices can be in an individual's life, especially in Sumter's youth. He spoke directly to the older generation, which populated more of the audience than the youth, and said it was their job as elders to let their children know their choices have consequences. "As the church, we have to stand up and say to the world that God's word is true," he praised. "We have to let them know that there's something better and God has something better, Jesus has something better for us, and we just make the choices." Many representatives in courts, education, first responders and clergy were invited to speak about the topic of "how violence affects statements." One speaker was Marcelus Odom, a parent from Cayce. On July 31, 2021, Odom said he lost his 14-year-old son to "negligence on behalf of parenting," "stupidity" from people he thought were his friends and someone whom he placed his trust in. "My son snuck out from his home in Gaston, where he was residing with his mother. The young men came and picked him up," he said. "They went back to one of the young men's house in the city of West Columbia." Odom was told the tenant of the house left the children alone for a few days unattended and didn't know what was in the house or going on. According to Odom, one of the young men, who was a so-called friend to his son, walked into a room where his son was sitting on the bed playing on his phone. "When he looked up from his phone, he shot him in his face," Odom said. "According to the coroner, when we spoke to the coroner, they said he died instantly. My son was shot in his right eye, and the bullet exited out the side of his neck, severed his spine and killed him." Daeun Marcelis Odom was 6 feet 2 inches tall and a standout athlete. He was two weeks shy of going to high school, Odom said. "This has greatly affected not only myself and his mother, but his friends and the community," Odom said. "Unfortunately, he made the wrong decisions by involving himself with young men who had no guidance, whose parents did not care what they did." The young man pleaded guilty to murder but received a sentence to not exceed his 22nd birthday, as he was a juvenile. "They said he didn't meet certain criteria to be waived up as an adult," Odom said. "He has the opportunity to get out and possibly live his life fully free, and his record is sealed because as a juvenile, once you become a certain age, your record is sealed." Odom is no stranger to hardship. He has dealt with consequences from his decisions as a young juvenile and young man. "I ended up, unfortunately, going to federal prison," he said. "I came home with a plan to not only better myself but better my community as well as my children." He warned his son of choices and consequences, and he wished he could have reached him before it was too late. There were many warning signs leading up to his son's death. Odom said that same year, his son and the group he hung out with were shot at a total of 28 times. His is son had a bullet graze his face. "That is one of the hardest things I ever had to deal with as a parent," he said. "You only get one life, and once you lose your life, there's no coming back. "Many of you, especially youngsters in the audience, you look like you could be around my son's age or a little bit younger than him. Our youth are our future. Without our youth, we have no future." We cry for the love: Thoughts on a Sumter family’s grief and a community’s support The community gathers Friday, March 31, at Christ Community Church in Sumter for a celebration of life service for 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks and 11-year-old Ava Holliday, who were killed on March 21. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Saturday, April 1, 2023 6:00 am GOULDING BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com Soldiers are trained to be strong. To remain stoic at times one shouldn't. Never have I seen a soldier fight tears harder than the mother who lost her three children and had every right to grieve. Aletha Holliday's two sons, 5-year-old Aayden Holliday-Slacks and 6-year-old Aason Holliday-Slacks, and her daughter, 11-year-old Ava Holliday, were shot to death in their beds March 21 along with Holliday's Army co-worker. Police say her ex-husband, the father of the two boys, killed them before turning his gun on himself. In my nearly four-year career as a journalist at The Sumter Item, I've had some rough stories come across my desk. This has by far been the worst. In this industry, we're taught to get the story out first. To be ahead of the pack. In most situations that's true, but in this circumstance, that's not the priority. Quality, accuracy and, believe it or not, empathy matter more than getting to the finish line first. With the breaking story and all that followed, that's what mattered. Making the choice to be human. The family asked no cameras to be inside. I went to show my condolences to the Holliday family and observe. I didn't want to intrude by trying to interview anyone. I sat in the bright-colored crowd. It was nothing short of serene. Aletha, dressed in a coral top - one of her daughter's many favorite colors - was surrounded by love, support and powerful prayers. I've witnessed a community response like no other for this mother. Heck, a nationwide response because of the attention the killings got and her culinary work at U.S. Army Central, which is headquartered in Sumter at Shaw Air Force Base. The military brings people across the globe. Each child was born in a different state. Clergy from across the country came in support of the Holliday family, and the eulogy from Bishop Geoffrey Dudley Sr., of New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church in O'Fallon, Illinois, began with action rather than words. He walked down from the stage to stand with Holliday and Andre Rush, Ava's father. He asked them and those in attendance to praise the children's names to the heavens. Both did their best to remain stoic as they shouted "Ava" and then "Aason." Aletha began to break, tears falling as she called her youngest son's name, "Aayden." I wouldn't have been able to do it. Never have I seen a community, as a whole, provide such a clutch to someone in need. Shortly behind her shouts, the crowd followed suit. Only when she said Aayden's name did the crowd behind her cry "Aayden!" I never met these three children or soldier Carlos Evans. I never had the pleasure of meeting their mother before learning of her name on March 22. That's the hard part about this job. There will be times when we have to be reporters and get the story, but there are also days where we, too, feel grief. We, too, are part of the community and feel its hurt. This is the second time in my career where I've had to hold back tears on the job and remain professional, and it probably won't be the last. But, I will gladly cry in following the advice of the Rev. William Dupree, of New First Baptist Church in Maury City, Tennessee. In closing prayer, he advised all at the celebration of life service to "not cry for the tragedy, but for the love." So, we cry.
  _UID	96C74329A87F48228B29A52325EA1C3F40EC
  _UID	96C74329A87F48228B29A52325EA1C3F40EC
  Person ID	I340345	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	8 Apr 2023

  
  

  Family 1	Andre RUSH
  _UID	2B400590820545AFA0840FD487FE4FF64CF2
  _UID	2B400590820545AFA0840FD487FE4FF64CF2
  Children	1. Ava Jazlynn HOLLIDAY,   b. 22 May 2011, Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas d. 21 Mar 2022, at her residence, 190 Whitetail Circle, Woodridge neighborhood, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 10 years)
  Family ID	F227194	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	28 Mar 2023

  
  

  Family 2	Charles Edward SLACKS, Jr.   d. 21 Mar 2023, 190 Whitetail Circle, Woodridge neighborhood, Sumter County, South Carolina
  _UID	9F9C7F0BEB884273B0F468272C4043DCAB41
  _UID	9F9C7F0BEB884273B0F468272C4043DCAB41
  Children	1. Aayden Jahari HOLLIDAY-SLACKS,   b. 24 Aug 2017, West Point, New York d. 21 Mar 2023, at his residence, 190 Whitetail Circle, Woodridge neighborhood, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 5 years)   2. Aason Makai HOLLIDAY-SLACKS,   b. 14 Jul 2016, Honolulu, Oahu d. 21 Mar 2023, at his residence, 190 Whitetail Circle, Woodridge neighborhood, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 6 years)
  Family ID	F227192	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	28 Mar 2023

  
  

• Sources

  [S30746] Subdivision asks Sumter residents to display white bows for 3 slain children. [S30747] Funeral arrangements change for 3 siblings. [S30759] Comfort, trauma and peace - Sumter Churches hold service after murder-suicide rocks community. [S30760] ‘Enough is Enough’ say Sumter AMEs - District churches hold vigil against gun violence. [S30761] We cry for the love: Thoughts on a family’s grief and a community’s support. [S30733] Aayden Jahari Holliday-Slacks. [S30734] Aason Makai Holliday-Slacks. [S30735] Ava Jazlynn Holliday. [S30741] 5 dead in murder-suicide. [S30742] Slain soldier’s name released in Sumter murder-suicide. [S30743] Community prayer services organized for this weekend. [S30744] Coroner: ‘I was not mentally prepared’ for killing scene. [S30745] Celebration of life, funeral services for slain children, soldier set.