In the late hours of November 24, 2017, a dispute outside a local establishment in McCormick County, South Carolina, escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 34-year-old Steven Anthony Banks. The incident, which also resulted in the death of his 44-year-old cousin, Joel Turner Jr., unfolded in the parking lot of Sapps Bar and Grill on Highway 378.
An argument that began inside the bar, where at least 100 people were present, spilled out into the night and turned into a physical altercation. It was during this confrontation that both Banks and Turner were fatally shot.
Known affectionately as 'Spanky' to his friends and family, Steven Banks was a McCormick native and a graduate of McCormick High School. He had a passion for restoring antique cars and was a devoted fan of the Dallas Cowboys. He was a father to three children, a daughter and two sons. His sudden and violent death left his family and community in mourning.
In the months following the double homicide, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigated the case at the request of the McCormick County Sheriff's Office. Their investigation led to the arrests of four related individuals in February 2018. Two brothers, 22-year-old Jesse Cashawn Freeman III of McCormick and 27-year-old Travis Rashad Freeman of Spartanburg, were charged with murder. Authorities alleged that they were the individuals who fatally shot Banks and Turner during the altercation.
Two other men, 25-year-old Shiquan Marquez Freeman and 22-year-old Devin Tyrone Crapps, both of Spartanburg, were charged with accessory after the fact to murder. According to affidavits, they fled the scene in the same vehicle as the alleged shooters and failed to report the crime to law enforcement. If convicted of the murder charges, the Freeman brothers could face a sentence of 30 years to life in prison, or potentially the death penalty. The charges for accessory after the fact carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
