In the spring of 2019, the life of 29-year-old Stacy Windell Rhodes was tragically cut short in Columbia, South Carolina. Known affectionately as 'Boi' to his loved ones, Stacy was a father who was making a conscious effort to turn his life around and be a responsible parent. He was known for his strong work ethic at the McEntire Produce Company and for his generous spirit.
A passionate basketball fan, he was often found joking and sharing laughter with his family and friends.
On the evening of March 30, 2019, at the Lakeshore Village Apartments on Garners Ferry Road, a dispute erupted during a dice game. Stacy accused a 22-year-old acquaintance, Mikah Nelsum Green, of cheating. The argument between the two friends escalated, and Green, becoming increasingly irate, walked to his car to retrieve a 9mm pistol.
While an unarmed Stacy was attempting to leave the tense situation and was facing a vehicle a friend had stopped to give him a ride in, Green approached him from behind and fatally shot him in the back. Emergency services were called, and Stacy was rushed to Prisma Health Richland Hospital, where he succumbed to the gunshot wounds to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at 10:03 p.m. that Saturday night.
Following the shooting, Mikah Nelsum Green was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. In March 2022, a Richland County jury found Green guilty of murder. Eyewitness testimony corroborated the sequence of events, confirming that Rhodes was unarmed and shot in the back. The judge sentenced Mikah Green to 35 years in prison for the murder of his friend, bringing a close to the legal proceedings but leaving a permanent void in the lives of Stacy Windell Rhodes' family and friends.
