In the fall of 2021, the life of 42-year-old Wayne Alexander Caldwell was tragically cut short in his hometown of Chester, South Carolina. On the evening of Saturday, October 9, 2021, Caldwell was shot and subsequently died from his injuries. The Chester County Coroner later confirmed that his death was a homicide.
The shooting occurred in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Chester, on Starnes Street near Ashford Street.
An altercation at a neighborhood block party escalated, leading to the fatal shooting. Caldwell sustained gunshot wounds to his head and body.
In the wake of the incident, law enforcement identified a suspect, Sundrez Dashaune Gregory, then 25, also from Chester. He was arrested and initially charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Gregory was taken into custody and held at the Chester County jail, where he was denied bond during his initial court appearance.
The legal process that followed saw Gregory's defense team initially pursue a 'stand-your-ground' immunity claim, which was ultimately denied by a judge. In August 2024, Sundrez Dashaune Gregory, then 28, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. A judge sentenced him to 17 years in prison for his role in the death of Wayne Alexander Caldwell. Gregory was given credit for the more than 1,000 days he had already spent in jail and under house arrest while awaiting the resolution of his case.
