In the quiet community of Easley, South Carolina, the life of a young man was tragically cut short in January 2019. Robert Tyler Butler, a 16-year-old male, was found deceased on the afternoon of Saturday, January 19th. A passing motorist alerted authorities to what appeared to be an injured person on the shoulder of Saluda Dam Road, near the intersection of Pistol Club Road.
When deputies from the Pickens County Sheriff's Office arrived, they discovered the young man's body just feet from the roadway.
Initially, investigators were uncertain about the cause of death, considering the possibility of a hit-and-run accident. However, an autopsy soon revealed a more sinister cause: the teenager had died from a gunshot wound inflicted by a small caliber weapon. The investigation determined that the fatal shooting had not occurred where his body was found. Instead, he had been shot approximately 11 hours before a passerby made the grim discovery. After he was killed, his body was transported and left on the side of the road.
A dedicated team of detectives worked tirelessly, and their investigation quickly pointed to a drug-related transaction gone wrong. According to the Pickens County Sheriff's Office, the shooting occurred within the City of Easley during a deal involving money and drugs. The investigation led to the identification of two suspects. Jalen G'Vonte Hines, an 18-year-old from Greenville, turned himself into the Pickens County Law Enforcement Center. The second suspect, 19-year-old Eric Silverio Mondragon of Walhalla, was located and apprehended at a residence in Oconee County. Both teenagers were charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
