In a tragic turn of events, a dispute between two men in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, culminated in the death of 43-year-old Jason Barrett Hammett. A White male, Mr. Hammett was shot in the head on June 8, 2021, on Old Spartanburg Highway, just north of Woodruff. He was transported to Spartanburg Medical Center where, two days later, on June 10, 2021, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced brain dead by the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office.
At the time of his passing, he was remembered for his love of motorcycles and cars, and for his work in the construction industry.
The investigation into the shooting was handled by the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. When deputies arrived at the scene of the incident, they found Mr. Hammett with two women who reported that the suspect had also fired shots at them as they attempted to flee in a vehicle, causing them to crash into a tree. Fortunately, the two women were not struck by the gunfire. Investigators quickly identified 31-year-old Cody Flynn Kennerly of Woodruff as the suspected shooter. Kennerly was arrested on the same day as the shooting and was initially charged with three counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. At the time of his arrest, Kennerly was already out on bond for multiple weapons offenses from a prior arrest in April of 2021.
Following Jason Hammett's death, the investigation was classified as a homicide. The case against Cody Kennerly proceeded through the legal system. Ultimately, Kennerly pleaded guilty to the murder of Jason Hammett. In July 2025, a judge sentenced him to 35 years in prison for his crime. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice for a violent act that cut short the life of Jason Barrett Hammett.
