In the early morning hours of a June night in Loris, South Carolina, 22-year-old Hedien Goodman’s life was cut short in a hail of bullets. The young man had been enjoying a night out at a local nightclub on June 22, 2020. His family said he was not involved in drugs or causing trouble. In a tragic irony, this was the same nightclub where he had been shot five times the previous December while trying to break up a fight.
His aunt had spoken to him before he went out, cautioning him to be careful and to come home safe.
Goodman left the club around 4 a.m. and began walking along a road. It was then that a car, driven by a man with whom he had previous disagreements, pulled up beside him. A bright flash erupted from the vehicle as a gunshot rang out in the quiet of the morning. Goodman was struck multiple times, falling to his hands and knees. As he struggled to get back up, the driver, identified as Laquandian Bromell, exited the car. Bromell then walked over to the wounded Goodman and delivered a final, fatal shot to the back of his head.
Horry County police found Hedien Goodman dead on Cedar Branch Road around 4:20 a.m. on June 23, 2020. Their investigation quickly led them to 28-year-old Laquandian Bromell, who was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The brutal nature of the crime was described by the assistant solicitor as an 'execution-style murder' during a bond hearing where further disturbing details emerged.
During the hearing, prosecutors presented evidence from video surveillance that captured the chilling sequence of events. They revealed there had been prior disagreements between Bromell and Goodman. The court also learned that just four months before Goodman's murder, prosecutors had dropped a manslaughter charge against Bromell in connection with a 2018 shooting death. Citing the violent nature of the crime and Bromell's history, the judge denied him bond, ensuring he would remain behind bars as he awaited trial. The case also drew attention from law enforcement in Florida, who expressed a desire to speak with Bromell in connection to a murder in their jurisdiction.
