On the evening of May 13, 2022, tragedy struck the small community of North, South Carolina, specifically in the Woodford area, claiming the life of Winston O’Conner Hunter, a six-year-old Black male. The young boy had just returned home from a family gathering and was settling in for the night on McClain Street. While his family was present in the residence, Winston lay on the couch in the living room watching television, unaware of the danger approaching outside.
Around 11:30 p.m., a vehicle pulled up to the property, and the occupants unleashed a barrage of gunfire into the home. Investigators later determined that at least 21 bullets tore through the walls of the house, mistakenly targeting the family in what authorities described as a case of wrong identity. Winston was struck in the head and wrist during the volley of shots. Despite the frantic efforts of his father and 12-year-old brother to perform CPR, the child succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the senseless killing began immediately, with law enforcement scouring the area for clues. Surveillance footage captured a light-colored sedan driving to and from the scene around the time of the shooting, which became a crucial piece of evidence when shared with the public. A breakthrough came weeks later when the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from law enforcement in Ontario County, New York. Authorities there had stopped a vehicle matching the description of the sedan seen in the video. This traffic stop, along with subsequent interviews and ballistics testing, connected the suspects to the crime. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed that shell casings found at the scene on McClain Street matched firearms recovered during the investigation.
The inquiry revealed that a group of men had traveled to the home believing it belonged to a drug dealer they intended to rob or purchase marijuana from, but the residence had no connection to illegal drugs or the individuals they were seeking. The resulting arrests led to multiple convictions for the murder. In April 2024, two of the suspects, Ethan Horne Anderson of West Columbia and Jerimiah J. Harley of New York, pleaded guilty to murder just before their trial was set to begin. Both men admitted to their roles in the shooting and were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors noted that text messages and confessions solidified the case against them, revealing the calculated but erroneous nature of their attack.
Justice continued to be pursued for Winston's death well into the following year. In October 2025, a third suspect, Michael Thomas Lloyd, also entered a guilty plea to murder in an Orangeburg County court. Like his co-defendants, Lloyd was sentenced to life in prison for his participation in the drive-by shooting. Another individual, Seth Phillips, was also identified and charged in connection with the crime during the course of the investigation. During the legal proceedings, Winston’s family expressed their profound grief, with his mother sharing the heartbreaking reality that the only graduation photo she would ever have of her son was from kindergarten, as his life was cut short just a week before the ceremony. The sentencing of these men brought a measure of legal resolution to a case that had deeply shaken the community, marking the end of the pursuit for those responsible for the death of the innocent child.
