In the early hours of February 11, 2022, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet of a Boiling Springs, South Carolina apartment complex, leading to the tragic death of 23-year-old Tykeil D. Fleming. The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office received a barrage of seven 911 calls reporting the shooting. As deputies rushed to the scene, a separate emergency call came in from Fleming's cousin, Tydreke Fleming, who reported they had been in a car wreck and his cousin had been shot.
Responding
officers discovered the wrecked vehicle and found Tykeil Fleming inside, lying across the front seat with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. At the apartment complex, investigators found a chaotic scene with 18 shell casings scattered on the ground. Several apartments and vehicles had been struck by bullets, painting a grim picture of the violence that had unfolded. Witnesses at the complex reported seeing a suspect firing a gun toward two men.
The investigation into Fleming's death soon identified two individuals of interest. Malik Tyheim Smith, also known as “Swish Money,” was identified as the suspected shooter. The investigation revealed that the motive was a love triangle, as Smith was reportedly upset over Fleming's relationship with a woman Smith was also interested in. The woman, Sharlize Burgos, was also implicated in the incident. Investigators learned that Fleming had been visiting Burgos at her apartment the day of the shooting.
Following the incident, Sharlize Burgos fled to New Jersey. However, she was later apprehended and charged with accessory before and after the fact of murder. Malik Tyheim Smith was arrested in South Carolina and faced charges of murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Smith eventually pleaded guilty to the charges against him. He was sentenced to 30 years, suspended to seven years in prison followed by five years of probation. Sharlize Burgos's case is still pending. During the sentencing, Fleming's family remembered him as a good man who had graduated high school with straight A's and had served in the National Guard.
