In the small town of Ridgeland, South Carolina, a verbal dispute escalated into a tragedy that ended the life of 37-year-old Bethany Carol Bennett. On the evening of December 3, 2022, at the Siesta Motel on South Jacob Smart Boulevard, what began as a disagreement between Bennett and her romantic partner, Jamia Michael Douglas Almodoval, turned violent.
The argument, reportedly over Bennett's cellphone which she believed Almodoval had taken, spiraled out of control.
The confrontation initially became physical when Bennett allegedly used a knife, causing a cut on Almodoval's hand. Following this, Almodoval, who was 41 at the time, left their motel room but returned shortly after, locking Bennett outside. As she pounded on the door, trying to get back in, Almodoval fired a rifle through the door, striking her. Bennett sustained two gunshot wounds, one to her arm and another to her chest.
Emergency services were called to the scene where they found Bennett with a gunshot wound and Almodoval with a knife wound to his hand. Bennett was transported to Coastal Carolina Medical Center, but she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at approximately 6 p.m.
Following the incident, Jamia Michael Douglas Almodoval was arrested and charged with murder. He was subsequently taken to the Jasper County Detention Center to await a bond hearing. The Ridgeland Police Department's investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting was ongoing. An autopsy for Bennett was scheduled to be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina.
