On a late spring evening in Williston, South Carolina, the life of William Henry Dunbar, a 29-year-old Black male, was tragically cut short. On May 29, 2022, police responded to a call at a residence on Marie Street and discovered Dunbar near the front door, lying in a pool of blood. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and despite the efforts of Barnwell County EMS, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two female acquaintances were present when authorities arrived.
The investigation into the homicide was quickly taken over by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Investigators utilized various forms of evidence, including digital video footage from the scene which captured the murder and a robbery at the home, cell phone records, and witness identification. This comprehensive approach led them to their primary suspect.
Nearly two months after the fatal shooting, on July 20, 2022, authorities arrested 29-year-old Mateka Destanique Williams of Aiken. An arrest warrant indicated that Williams had 'acted in concert with unknown co-defendants' and had willfully assisted in the shooting of Dunbar. The footage reportedly showed Williams was involved in the crime along with three masked individuals. Following her arrest by SLED, Williams was charged with murder and booked at the Barnwell County Detention Center. The case was slated to be prosecuted by the Second Circuit Solicitor's Office.
