In the late autumn of 2017, the life of 49-year-old Gary Dale Hickman came to a violent end in the small community of Round O, South Carolina. On Friday, November 17, 2017, a dispute connected to the dangerous world of illegal drugs escalated into a fatal confrontation, leaving Hickman dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The incident unfolded inside a camper on Hickman's property located on Jason Lane, a place that would become the scene of a homicide investigation.
The events leading
to Hickman's death began with a planned drug transaction. A woman, accompanied by a male acquaintance who reportedly owed Hickman money, arrived at the property. The man, fearing a potential conflict with Hickman, had asked a third individual, Anterrius Roy Stinson, to come along for his protection. While the initial pair went inside the camper, Stinson remained in their vehicle. When a significant amount of time passed and his companions did not reappear, Stinson grew concerned and approached the camper himself to investigate the delay.
Upon reaching the camper's door, Stinson was met by Hickman. What transpired next was a tense and violent struggle, as both men were armed with handguns. In the ensuing chaos, Stinson's weapon discharged, firing a single shot that struck Hickman in the head and killed him instantly. When first responders later arrived at the scene, they discovered Hickman's own firearm underneath his body.
The investigation into the death of Gary Dale Hickman led authorities to Anterrius Roy Stinson. In September 2019, Stinson, then 40 years old, pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter in a Colleton County General Sessions court. As a result of his guilty plea for his role in the drug-related killing, Stinson was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison. It was noted by prosecutors that both Hickman and Stinson had histories with law enforcement and that the tragic outcome was a stark illustration of the violent consequences often associated with the illegal drug trade.
