In the winter of 2018, the life of 23-year-old Dashamel Prince Drayton was tragically cut short in Marion, South Carolina. Born in Jamaica Queens, New York, Drayton had relocated to Marion County, where he became a well-known and liked member of the community, graduating from Marion High School in 2012. He was remembered for his friendly nature and his time on the school's wrestling team.
On the evening of January 20, 2018, Drayton was on Bluff Road when gunfire erupted outside a local
store. He was struck by a bullet and was one of two individuals shot during the incident. Emergency services transported him to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston for treatment of a gunshot wound. Despite medical efforts, Drayton succumbed to his injuries.
The Marion Police Department swiftly began an investigation into the shooting. With cooperation from witnesses at the scene, a suspect was quickly identified. The day after the shooting, police arrested Anthony Raynard Randall just six blocks from where the crime occurred.
Randall faced a series of serious charges in connection with the incident. These included murder for the death of Dashamel Drayton, as well as attempted murder. Additional charges brought against him were possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, two counts of pointing and presenting a firearm, discharging a weapon within city limits, and the unlawful carrying of a firearm. The case against Randall then proceeded through the judicial system.
