In the early morning hours of February 12, 2017, a tragedy unfolded outside a Waffle House on Stoneridge Drive in Columbia, South Carolina, resulting in the death of 28-year-old Wayne A. Bell. The male victim was fatally shot while attempting to de-escalate an argument between two other men in the restaurant's parking lot. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m., and after being shot in the lower torso, Bell was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 3:39 a.m.
The investigation led Columbia police to arrest 35-year-old Eric Nixon, who was charged with murder. According to police, Bell had been trying to act as a peacemaker when the altercation turned violent. Nixon was subsequently taken into custody at a residence on Jacob Road and booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
The case against Eric Nixon proceeded to trial, where the narrative of the events that transpired was heavily debated. Prosecutors argued that Nixon's actions following the shooting, which included not calling 911, changing his clothes, and hiding the gun, were indicative of guilt. However, the defense presented a different version of the events, centering their case on a claim of self-defense. A crucial piece of evidence was a bystander's video, which reportedly showed Bell following Nixon into the parking lot after their initial argument. Nixon's attorney argued that his client feared for his life as Bell approached him aggressively with his hands in his back pockets.
After deliberating for over three hours, the Richland County jury found Eric Nixon not guilty of murder. The verdict, delivered in September 2018, indicated that the jury either believed Nixon acted in self-defense or that the prosecution failed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The acquittal of the sole suspect brought the legal proceedings in the death of Wayne Bell to a close.
