In the early evening of December 7, 2019, tragedy struck in the small town of Summerton, South Carolina, forever altering the lives of one family. Eli Jobi Ragin, a 23-year-old Black male, was fatally shot on Louis Street. When deputies from the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office, along with EMS and Fire Department personnel, arrived at the scene around 7:39 p.m., they discovered Ragin deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.
The Clarendon County Coroner confirmed that he died at the scene.
The investigation into Ragin's death was swift. The Clarendon County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's forensics team, worked diligently through the following day and night. Their efforts quickly led to a suspect. On December 8, the day after the shooting, investigators secured an arrest warrant for 24-year-old Xavier Marquise Phillips.
Later that same night, Xavier Marquise Phillips was taken into custody without incident. He was subsequently charged with murder, two counts of second-degree assault and battery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement officials stated that the motive for the shooting was unknown. Authorities asked for anyone with additional information to come forward to aid in the ongoing investigation.
