In the early hours of a Tuesday in January 2018, the life of 33-year-old Matthew Littlejohn was tragically cut short in Gaffney, South Carolina. The fatal encounter began at a Circle K gas station on Pleasant School Road. Littlejohn, a male resident of Boiling Springs, was in one vehicle with a family friend, while another vehicle pulled up alongside them.
As both cars departed the convenience store, a volley of gunfire erupted.
Littlejohn's vehicle continued north on Shelby Highway before coming to a stop at the Sumol Textile of America plant just off Interstate 85. It was there that he succumbed to his injuries. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office immediately launched an investigation, utilizing surveillance footage from the gas station and surrounding businesses to piece together the events of that morning. The video captured images of a person of interest and the light-colored Chevy Blazer or GMC Jimmy they were driving.
For more than three years, the case remained a priority for law enforcement. Investigators eventually identified Salvador Marquez, a 35-year-old man from Charlotte, North Carolina, as the individual responsible for Littlejohn's death. In June 2021, Marquez appeared in court and pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
As a result of his guilty plea, Marquez was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Under the terms of his sentence, he will be required to serve at least 85 percent of that time before he can be considered for early release. Prosecutors noted that Marquez had a prior criminal record that included convictions for marijuana trafficking and robbery. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to the family and friends of Matthew Littlejohn, who had waited years for justice.
