In the quiet community of Goose Creek, South Carolina, the life of 27-year-old William Lamar Carter was tragically cut short in a burst of violence. On the evening of Wednesday, November 22, 2017, Carter was shot in the vicinity of Red Bank Road and Highway 52. The Goose Creek Police Department responded to the scene, finding Carter with life-threatening injuries.
He was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds, leaving a community in shock and a family to grapple with a sudden and devastating loss.
The investigation into Carter's death quickly focused on identifying a suspect. Law enforcement officials worked diligently, gathering evidence and witness statements. Their efforts soon led them to name Gawain Rushawn Wilson, then 27 years old, as the primary suspect in the fatal shooting. A warrant for murder was issued for his arrest, and authorities began the urgent task of locating him. The motive behind the shooting was not immediately made public, but the swift identification of a suspect suggested a targeted act rather than a random incident.
The search for Wilson came to an end the following day, on Thanksgiving, when he was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Task Force in North Charleston. His capture brought a sense of relief to a community on edge, but it was just the beginning of a long road to justice for William Lamar Carter. Wilson was taken into custody without incident and formally charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was subsequently booked into the Berkeley County Detention Center to await legal proceedings.
Following his arrest, Gawain Rushawn Wilson faced the judicial system. In May of 2019, he pleaded guilty to the murder of William Lamar Carter. This plea removed the need for a lengthy and painful trial for Carter's loved ones. As a result of his guilty plea, Wilson was sentenced to 35 years in prison, a significant punishment for the life he had taken. The resolution of the case in the courts, however, could never fully erase the pain and loss felt by those who knew and loved William Lamar Carter.
