In a tragic turn of events on June 9, 2021, a 34-year-old man, Alexander Cody Presley, was fatally shot in Branchville, South Carolina, during an armed robbery that unfolded in front of his pregnant wife and her children. Presley, a resident of Cordova, had arranged to purchase an all-terrain vehicle that he had found for sale on Facebook. The white, male victim was a self-employed tattoo artist.
The day of the incident was meant to be a happy occasion, as Presley was buying the ATV as a
gift for his fiancée, Kayla Cox, just a day after they had celebrated their second anniversary in Charleston. The family met with the sellers, who turned out to be two teenagers. After Presley had paid the agreed-upon price of $4,600 and loaded the ATV onto his trailer, the situation took a violent turn when one of the teens brandished a firearm.
In a final act of heroism, Presley pushed his fiancée's 8-year-old son out of the line of fire. Despite his pleas for the assailant to take whatever he wanted and spare his family, a struggle ensued, and Presley was shot. His SUV was later discovered abandoned a short distance from the scene of the crime.
Authorities later arrested 17-year-old Edward Stokes of Branchville, charging him as an adult with murder and armed robbery due to the severity of the crime. A 13-year-old who was with Stokes at the time of the incident was also taken into custody. The younger teen reportedly confessed to his involvement in the robbery and identified Stokes as the shooter. He was charged with armed robbery and accessory before and after the fact of murder. Following his arrest, Stokes was held without bond.
