In the quiet town of Varnville, South Carolina, the life of 24-year-old Ghazia Abdul Duckett was tragically cut short on March 25, 2018. A loving father to his young son, Marely Adonis Breland, Ghazia was known for his vibrant personality and his ability to bring joy to those around him through dancing and cracking jokes. He was a cherished member of his family and community, a respectable and loving young man who enjoyed life to the fullest.
The night of March 25, 2018, unfolded into a
scene of horror on Priscilla Lane. Inside a home, Ghazia Duckett, along with 32-year-old Frankie Johnson, Jr., and 19-year-old Lamekia Moasia Warren, were discovered dead. The victims had all suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Duckett and Johnson were each found to have been shot in the head, while Warren had sustained over 30 gunshot wounds to her neck, chest, legs, and arms. This brutal triple homicide sent shockwaves through the Varnville community.
The subsequent investigation, a collaborative effort by the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office, the Varnville Police Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, led to the arrests of several individuals. Tyrase Akil Collins, who was 17 at the time of the murders, was charged with three counts of murder, armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Another suspect, 18-year-old Fuquan Durrell Harris, faced the same charges. Lorenzo Boles, 34, was also arrested and charged with three counts of murder, armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
The legal proceedings that followed brought some measure of justice for the victims and their families. Tyrase Akil Collins was convicted of three counts of murder, armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. In July 2024, Collins was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences, in addition to 30 years for armed robbery and five years for the weapon charge. His co-defendant, Lorenzo Boles, was found guilty of one charge of accessory before the fact to each of the three murders and armed robbery. Boles was sentenced to 45 years in prison. The prosecution, led by Reed Evans of the 14th Circuit Solicitor's Office, highlighted the brutality of the crimes, stating that Collins, with Boles's assistance, had 'executed two young men and slaughtered a young woman with extreme brutality.' During searches of Collins' home, law enforcement discovered at least three guns linked to the murders, including a pistol belonging to Johnson and another firearm associated with Duckett. Additionally, Johnson's blood was found inside a car regularly driven by Boles.
