Lewis Jenerette, an 81-year-old Black man, was found deceased in his Eastover, South Carolina, home on January 10, 2022. The discovery was made by deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department, who had been dispatched to the residence on Hickory Hill Road to perform a welfare check after a family member arrived to check on him. Inside the home, they found Mr. Jenerette had been shot in the upper body.
The Richland County Coroner's Office later confirmed the death was a homicide.
During the initial investigation, authorities learned that Mr. Jenerette's vehicle, a black 2007 Chevrolet Impala with South Carolina license plate RJC425, was missing from his property. From the outset, investigators stated they had reason to believe that more than one person was involved in the crime.
The investigation first led to the arrest of 18-year-old Jadon Harper, who was charged with murder, burglary, and grand larceny. Later, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced at a press conference that four other teenagers had also been taken into custody for their roles in Mr. Jenerette's death.
The additional suspects were identified as Andre Arthur, 18; Chance Jones, 19; Durya Perry, 19; and Trenton Morris, 19. Each was charged with murder and burglary. According to the sheriff's department, the five young men broke into Mr. Jenerette's home, killed him, and then stole several items, including his car. As of the announcement of the arrests in May 2022, the case was proceeding through the court system.
