In a home near Myrtle Beach, the life of 62-year-old Charles Yobak came to a violent end on a Saturday night in November 2017. He was shot multiple times in the house he shared with his son, Christopher Charles Yobak. When Horry County police arrived at the Southbury Drive residence around 10:30 p.m., they discovered Charles Yobak without a pulse. An officer who lived next door was the first to respond to the scene.
The victim's son, Christopher, was found on the front porch, calmly smoking a cigarette.
Christopher Yobak, then 36 years old, was promptly arrested and taken to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. He was subsequently charged with the murder of his father and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The case moved through the legal system, and in June 2019, Christopher Yobak appeared in an Horry County courtroom. There, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.
During the court proceedings, a complex and troubled family dynamic emerged. Prosecutors stated that Christopher Yobak woke up to his father, Charles, assaulting his wife. This claim of abuse was a central point in the case. Christopher's defense maintained his innocence, and he initially looked forward to his day in court to be exonerated. However, he ultimately accepted a plea deal.
The sentencing phase of the trial brought further emotional revelations. While the state recommended a five-year prison sentence, and some family members pleaded for the maximum of 30 years, the judge delivered a different outcome. The judge sentenced Christopher Yobak to 15 years in prison but suspended the sentence to the 18 months he had already served since his arrest, followed by five years of probation. This decision left other members of the Yobak family dismayed, feeling that justice had not been fully served for the death of Charles Yobak.
