On Friday, May 8, 2020, the life of 84-year-old White / Caucasian Naomi Jean Morris came to a violent end in her residence near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Horry County police officers responded to a reported shooting at approximately 2:30 p.m. at a home located on Edisto Court within The Lakes development, situated off U.S. 17 near Surfside Beach. Upon their arrival at the scene, law enforcement officials discovered Morris suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.
She was transported for medical attention but subsequently succumbed to her injuries.
In the hours following the shooting, investigators identified a suspect in connection with the homicide. Police arrested 79-year-old Carl Joseph Braun, a resident of Myrtle Beach, and booked him into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center that same evening. Braun was taken into custody without bail, and authorities noted that he had no prior criminal history in Horry County aside from a traffic citation for driving without a license in 2004.
While the specific motive for the shooting was not immediately released to the public, the swift arrest provided some initial answers to the community. Braun was formally charged in connection with the death of Morris, with reports confirming his detention shortly after the incident occurred. The case marked a tragic event involving two elderly individuals in the quiet residential community, leaving family and neighbors to grapple with the sudden violence that claimed the life of the octogenarian victim.