A sense of unease washed over 22-year-old Donasia Holloway-Epps as she pulled into the parking lot of her Walterboro, South Carolina apartment complex on the night of May 22, 2021. A pickup truck had followed her to her Forest Pointe Apartments home, and a feeling of dread set in as she recognized it as belonging to her ex-boyfriend, Justin Cole Carroll. Fearing for her safety, she strategically parked her silver Lexus next to a marked police cruiser that belonged to a neighbor.
Inside her locked car, she recorded a brief Snapchat video, capturing Carroll approaching her vehicle. Moments later, the sound of multiple gunshots shattered the night's quiet.
Responding to the gunfire, the officer who lived in the complex discovered Holloway-Epps slumped over in the driver's seat of her car. She had been shot four times, with wounds to her neck and head, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation into the young woman's death quickly focused on her 21-year-old ex-boyfriend. There was a history of domestic violence, and a no-contact order had previously been issued against Carroll after he was charged with first-degree domestic violence for shoving Donasia and pointing a gun at her.
Within two days of the shooting, Justin Cole Carroll was arrested and charged with the murder of Donasia Holloway-Epps. During the investigation, it was discovered that he had shaved his head after the killing in an apparent attempt to alter his appearance. Furthermore, his cell phone had been wiped clean, suggesting an effort to destroy evidence. Swabs taken from his hands on the night of the murder tested positive for gunshot residue.
In April 2024, Justin Cole Carroll stood trial for the murder of Donasia Holloway-Epps. The Snapchat video she recorded just moments before her death served as a key piece of evidence, placing him at the scene. Despite the fact that the murder weapon was never found and no DNA or fingerprints matching Carroll were recovered from the shell casings or the victim's vehicle, the circumstantial evidence was compelling. After three days of testimony from sixteen witnesses, a Colleton County jury found him guilty of murder. The judge sentenced Carroll to 60 years in prison for the stalking and killing of his ex-girlfriend, a tragic end to a history of domestic abuse.
