In the early morning hours of October 4, 2020, the city of Columbia, South Carolina, became the backdrop for a senseless act of violence that cut short the life of Wesley Colin Brown, a 26-year-old White/Caucasian male from Greenville. Brown was in town for a joyous occasion, a wedding, but a tragic encounter would ensure he would never return home. His body was discovered by a couple out for a morning walk on the 1700 block of Senate Street.
Emergency services were called, but Brown was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy would later confirm that he had died from complications of a gunshot wound.
The Columbia Police Department launched an intensive investigation into the homicide. They canvassed the area, speaking with potential witnesses and gathering evidence. It was determined that Brown was alone at the time of the incident. Investigators pieced together the events leading to his death and soon identified two suspects. The first to be apprehended was Xavier York Glover. His alleged accomplice, Zachery Jamell Williams, initially evaded capture but later turned himself in to authorities with the assistance of his attorney.
Both Glover and Williams faced serious charges, including murder and armed robbery. According to the investigation, the two men spotted Brown walking by himself, at which point they approached him with the intent to rob him. During the commission of the robbery, a fatal shot was fired. The subsequent legal proceedings brought some measure of closure to the tragic case. Zachery Jamell Williams ultimately pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for his role in the death of Wesley Colin Brown and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. The case against Xavier York Glover was still pending.
