In the early hours of a March morning in Greenville, South Carolina, the life of 42-year-old Twana Alberta McDaniel, a female, was tragically cut short. On March 21, 2020, McDaniel was discovered in her backyard, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound to her torso. The Greenville County Coroner's Office officially ruled her death a homicide, sparking an investigation by the Sheriff's Office into the events that led to this violent end.
The day before her death, on March 20, 2020, events
began to unfold that would culminate in the tragedy. According to a subsequent wrongful death lawsuit filed by her family, Twana McDaniel was the victim of a violent assault by a man named Tony Merritt, with whom she resided. Emergency services were called to the home on two separate occasions that day in response to the escalating situation. The lawsuit alleges that despite having probable cause, deputies with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office did not arrest Merritt during either visit.
Sometime after the deputies' second departure from the residence, Tony Merritt shot and killed Twana McDaniel. In the immediate aftermath of the discovery of McDaniel's body, law enforcement officials stated that no suspects were in custody as they continued to investigate the homicide.
Following the investigation into Twana McDaniel's death, Tony D. Merritt was arrested and faced legal proceedings. On May 20, 2020, a criminal case was filed against him. The case went to trial, and on February 23, 2024, a jury found Tony D. Merritt guilty. He was subsequently sentenced to a term of life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in the death of Twana McDaniel.
