In the late afternoon of August 22, 2017, a community gathering in the Lobeco area of Sheldon, South Carolina, turned tragic. Adrian Lamont “Mont” Manigo, a 40-year-old male from the Jenkins Community of Yemassee, was fatally shot. The incident occurred at a familiar neighborhood hangout on Leaping Frog Lane where residents had congregated.
Manigo arrived at the gathering where another man, Dontarious Wright, was already present.
Witnesses reported that there was a history of animosity between the two men. At one point, Wright was seen producing a 9 mm handgun and placing it in his lap. When Manigo questioned him about the weapon, Wright ominously replied, 'it's for you.' In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, Manigo turned to walk away. It was then that Wright stood up and fired three shots, striking Manigo in the arm and the right shoulder. One of the bullets tragically pierced his lung, esophagus, and two major blood vessels, causing him to bleed to death at the scene before emergency medical services could arrive.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Dontarious Wright, then 25 years old and a resident of Seabrook, fled the scene. An investigation was immediately launched by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. Later that same evening, Wright was discovered hiding in a neighbor's shed near his home and was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
During the ensuing trial in March 2019, prosecutors presented the case that the shooting was unprovoked. Witnesses testified that Manigo was unarmed and had made no threats towards Wright. The defense's claim of self-defense was countered by testimony detailing Wright's prior animosity towards Manigo, including a statement he had allegedly made about shooting Manigo if he continued to run his mouth. After a two-day trial and a deliberation that lasted only 42 minutes, the jury found Dontarious Wright guilty of murder. He was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison for the murder charge and an additional five years for the weapons charge, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
