In the early morning hours of a Sunday in October 2021, the life of 23-year-old Bria Byrd was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire outside a McColl, South Carolina nightclub. The shooting, which also claimed the life of 31-year-old Ronnie Oxendine, unfolded in the parking lot of Club Amnesia, transforming a night of leisure into a scene of violence and loss.
Three other individuals were also wounded in the attack, which authorities believe involved multiple shooters who fled the scene at high speed, heading towards North Carolina. Investigators quickly determined that the incident was not a random act of violence, suspecting that all parties involved were acquainted with one another and had traveled from North Carolina.
The investigation into the double homicide was swift and involved a multi-agency effort, bringing together law enforcement from both North and South Carolina, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the US Marshal Task Force, the ATF, the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, and the Rockingham Police Department. Their collaboration paid off within days, leading to the apprehension of five suspects in Rockingham, North Carolina.
The individuals arrested were identified as Kevin Robert Williams, 27; Marion Devonte Ellerbe, 24; Antuan Latice Zeigler, 21; Javontae Marquel Dockery, 22; and Khalil Jaquan Watkins, 19. All five men faced a litany of serious charges, including two counts of murder for the deaths of Bria Byrd and Ronnie Oxendine. The charges also included three counts of attempted murder for the other victims, one count of criminal conspiracy, and one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. Following their arrests in North Carolina, the suspects were slated for extradition to South Carolina to face the charges brought against them.
