In the early hours of a Friday morning in West Columbia, a tragic series of events unfolded that would claim the life of 38-year-old Edward Nathaniel Walker. On January 26, 2018, an altercation at an apartment complex on Platt Springs Road escalated, ending with Walker being shot once in the torso. He managed to exit the apartment after being wounded but tragically collapsed and died behind the building.
For up to two hours, he lay there before law enforcement was alerted to the scene around 10:30 a.m.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect, 21-year-old Levette Omega Gladden of North Charleston. He was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of Edward Walker. The case proceeded through the legal system, culminating in a week-long bench trial. Prosecutors argued that malice was a factor in the killing. Following the trial, Levette Omega Gladden was found guilty in connection with Walker's death and was sentenced to serve five years in prison. The resolution of this case was noted by the Eleventh Judicial Circuit as part of a larger effort to clear a backlog of pending cases in the region.
Edward Walker, a father of two sons, was remembered by his family as a good man, despite having faced some challenges in his life. His sister expressed the family's profound shock and grief upon receiving the news of his violent death, stating that nobody deserves such a fate. His obituary noted he was survived by his parents, two sons, and several siblings. The incident was described by law enforcement as an isolated event, and they sought to reassure the community that there was no broader threat to public safety.
