In the late afternoon of August 1, 2020, Garfield Antonio 'Tony' McGriff, a 49-year-old man from Lancaster, South Carolina, was found shot to death in the driveway of a residence on Dixon Road. When officers from the Lancaster Police Department arrived at the scene shortly after 4 p.m., they pronounced McGriff deceased.
The investigation into McGriff's death led authorities to identify Demario Lamar Mingo, a 40-year-old man, as the suspect.
An arrest warrant was issued for Mingo, charging him with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. At the time of the shooting, Mingo was reportedly out on bond for several other serious charges, including armed robbery and burglary. Law enforcement officials considered him to be armed and dangerous.
On September 24, 2020, Demario Lamar Mingo was apprehended in Charlotte, North Carolina, and taken into custody for his alleged involvement in McGriff's death. While an arrest has been made, the motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed by the authorities. The investigation remains ongoing.
Garfield Antonio McGriff was born on November 27, 1970, to Garfield McGriff Sr. and Dianne Blackmon McGriff. He was a father to a daughter and two sons and had a brother and a sister. His death was one of two fatal shootings that occurred in Lancaster over that same weekend, contributing to a concerning increase in violence in the city at the time.
