In the spring of 2020, the life of 17-year-old Na’Ja Shelby Sanders was tragically cut short in Orangeburg, South Carolina. On May 10, a passerby discovered his body on the edge of Whitman Street. An investigation swiftly began, revealing that the young man had died from a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. Sanders was a male.
The focus of the investigation soon turned to another teenager, Kari Kayshon Ryant, who was also 17 at the time.
It was established that Sanders had left his mother's home with Ryant several hours before his body was found. The case against Ryant was significantly strengthened by surveillance footage recovered near the scene of the crime. The video showed the two teenagers walking together, captured the moment of the fatal shot, and showed Ryant running from the area alone. When he eventually turned himself in for questioning that same night, Ryant initially denied any involvement, claiming he and Sanders had parted ways before the incident. He alleged that he only learned of Sanders' death through phone calls and text messages. However, a search of his cellphone records uncovered a damning piece of evidence: hours after the shooting, but before surrendering to authorities, he had searched the internet for instructions on 'how to remove gunshot residue.'
Despite being a minor at the time of the offense, the solicitor's office made the decision to try Ryant as an adult. In October 2022, a jury in Orangeburg County deliberated for less than an hour before finding Kari Kayshon Ryant guilty of the murder of Na’Ja Shelby Sanders. His sentencing was scheduled for January of the following year.
