The death of Caleb Mykel Donnelly, a 29-year-old White / Caucasian male, occurred on June 19, 2021, in the town of Ninety Six, South Carolina. Authorities were alerted to the situation in the early morning hours, responding to a residence located on Highway 178 South just before 2:00 a.m. Upon arrival, deputies and emergency personnel discovered Donnelly inside the home, where he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
The Greenwood County Coroner’s Office subsequently pronounced him dead at the scene, marking the incident as a homicide investigation.
Caleb Donnelly was known in his community as a talented tattoo artist who possessed a deep passion for writing. Born in Champaign, Illinois, he was the son of Connie Kotzur Morgan and the late Nelson Gene Donnelly III. He was remembered as a devoted family man who cherished his role as a father to his three children, Kyleigh, Alynna, and Jaxon, and as an uncle to his nieces and nephews. In addition to his children and mother, he was survived by two brothers, Mathew and Jonathan, and extended family members who gathered for a memorial service held at the Harley Funeral Home chapel following the tragedy.
The investigation into the shooting quickly identified a primary suspect, 30-year-old William Bryan Morgan Jr. Law enforcement officials with the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office immediately launched a manhunt for Morgan, who was considered armed and dangerous. Police reports indicated that Morgan had last been seen in the vicinity of the crime scene operating a black 2012 Yamaha motorcycle. The search intensified as deputies appealed to the public for information regarding his whereabouts, warning the community not to approach him.
Shortly after the incident, authorities successfully located and apprehended William Bryan Morgan Jr. He was taken into custody and booked at the Greenwood County Detention Center. The Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office charged him with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. While the specific motive for the shooting was not immediately released to the public, the prompt arrest brought a measure of resolution to the initial phase of the investigation.
