In the summer of 2021, a devastating act of violence shattered a family and a community in Greenwood, South Carolina. Megan Lee Gale Dinkins, a 30-year-old White/Caucasian woman, was tragically killed on August 2, 2021. A manager at both Waffle House and Krystal's, she was a mother whose life was cut short in a brutal fashion.
The incident unfolded at a home on Heddy Road in Greenwood County.
On that day, Jeffery David Powell, a 36-year-old man with familial ties to the victims, opened fire, killing Megan, her 11-year-old daughter Shay Nicole Dinkins, and her uncle, Randy Grant Perkins. Megan's 8-year-old son was also shot and injured but managed to escape and alert a neighbor.
Following the horrific event, Powell fled the scene. He took an Uber to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, where he boarded a flight to Jacksonville, Florida. His attempt to evade justice was short-lived, as U.S. Marshals apprehended him later that same night at a Red Roof Inn in Jacksonville.
Powell was extradited back to South Carolina to face the consequences of his actions. He was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. In court, Powell pleaded guilty to all charges. The judicial process culminated in a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. While the exact motive for the killings remained somewhat unclear, it was suggested that Powell's fear of being asked to leave the home where he had been staying intermittently may have been a contributing factor.
