On what was meant to be a day of gratitude, Thanksgiving Day of 2016 turned into a tragedy for the family of Kevadric Akeem Pressley. The 21-year-old male from Gaston, South Carolina, was fatally shot on the afternoon of November 24th. The incident occurred on Harmony Church Lane, where Pressley was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head. He had arranged to meet Michael Larone Williams, 28, for the purpose of purchasing a gun.
However, the transaction took a fatal turn when Williams shot Pressley. At the time of the shooting, Pressley was not alone; his brother and a friend were also present and witnessed the tragic event.
Following the shooting, an investigation was swiftly launched by the Lexington County Sheriff's Department. The witnesses provided crucial information that led authorities to identify Michael Larone Williams as the suspect. In the early hours of the following morning, investigators located Williams. Upon their arrival at his girlfriend's house, Williams attempted to flee in his vehicle, leading to a short pursuit. He eventually crashed his car and tried to escape on foot, but was apprehended by K9 officers. A. 45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, which matched the bullet found in the victim's car, was recovered in the area where the chase concluded.
Michael Larone Williams was arrested and initially charged with murder. As the investigation progressed, additional charges were filed against him, including attempted murder, possessing a weapon during a violent crime, and possessing a weapon after being convicted of a violent felony. The attempted murder charge stemmed from the presence of a 16-year-old who was in the car with Pressley at the time of the shooting, though the teen was unharmed. Williams was held at the Lexington County Detention Center. In October 2019, a judge sentenced him to life in prison for the murder of Kevadric Akeem Pressley, bringing a close to the legal proceedings in a case that forever marked a holiday with loss.
