On the evening of May 3, 2019, a verbal dispute in front of a Gaffney, South Carolina home tragically escalated, ending the life of 27-year-old Jerry Lee Scalf, Jr. Scalf was at his sister's residence on Coach Hill Drive when an argument broke out with a man who accused him of making false allegations. The confrontation quickly turned violent as the man pushed Scalf multiple times. When Scalf pushed back, the assailant drew a handgun and fired multiple shots, fatally wounding him.
The shooter then fled the scene on foot.
Witnesses at the scene, including Scalf's twin sister, heard the argument and the ensuing gunshots. Although they could not see the shooter's face clearly, they described his build and mannerisms, which they said resembled those of Diante Jermaine Willis, a man they had frequently seen in the neighborhood. Investigators found a Bluetooth earbud near the shell casings at the scene, which was later linked to a charging case found in Willis's vehicle. Willis was apprehended by Cherokee County sheriff's deputies later that night after a brief foot chase near his home. During questioning, Willis claimed he was searching for a lost earbud when he heard gunshots.
Diante Jermaine Willis, 25 at the time, was charged with the murder of Jerry Lee Scalf, Jr. and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. In December 2021, a jury found Willis guilty of both charges following a three-day trial. A circuit court judge subsequently sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Friends and family remembered Jerry Lee Scalf, Jr., a father of three and a graduate of Gaffney High School, as a joyful and outgoing person who loved his family and enjoyed racing.
