In the winter of 2018, the life of 33-year-old Sherman O'Brian Tate was tragically cut short in Gaffney, South Carolina. On the evening of Sunday, February 11, an altercation escalated to fatal violence, leaving Tate with a gunshot wound that would claim his life at Mary Black Hospital. The incident, which began as a street fight, quickly became a homicide investigation.
Authorities identified a person of interest in the days following the shooting.
The investigation led them to Ricky Eugene Garrison, who was apprehended and charged with the murder of Sherman Tate. According to investigators, the conflict that precipitated the shooting began with an exchange of text messages between Tate and Garrison. The two men subsequently encountered each other, leading to a physical fight. It is believed that Garrison, upon losing the fight, resorted to gunfire.
Garrison, who had an extensive criminal record, appeared in court for a bond hearing where the solicitor highlighted his history of drug, weapons, and assault charges. The judge denied bond for Garrison. In November 2019, the murder trial of Ricky Eugene Garrison began in the Cherokee County General Sessions Court. The family of Sherman Tate, while mourning their loss, took a step forward in their quest for justice with the commencement of the legal proceedings.
