In the late hours of a Thursday evening in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the life of Micheal Wayne Pennington III, a 33-year-old White male, was tragically cut short. On May 14, 2020, in the parking lot of the Cross Gate Villas near Surfside Beach, Pennington was fatally shot. The incident occurred just before 10:00 p.m., and despite the efforts of a woman who was applying pressure to his wound when police arrived, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Emergency medical services confirmed his death, which the Horry County Coroner's Office later ruled a homicide caused by a gunshot wound.
Micheal, born on April 14, 1987, in Martinsville, Virginia, was a dedicated single father to his two sons, Sean and Conner. He was actively involved in their lives, having coached their football teams for many years. A resident of the Myrtle Beach area, he worked for Carolina Property Maintenance. Those who knew him remembered a man committed to his family and community. His sudden death left his loved ones and the local community in mourning.
The Horry County Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the shooting. Their efforts quickly led to the identification and arrest of a suspect, Anijah Robert Yarnell, a 20-year-old resident of Myrtle Beach. Yarnell was taken into custody and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He was subsequently held without bond at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. While the investigation was ongoing, authorities assured the public that there was no further threat to the community.
