In the early morning hours of October 1, 2016, a horrific scene unfolded in a home on Martin Luther Drive in the Bucksport community of Conway, South Carolina, ending the life of 40-year-old Kristina Burroughs. A Black/African American female, Kristina was found by Horry County police officers seated in a living room chair, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the right side of her neck.
The investigation determined that Kristina was the victim of a murder-suicide perpetrated by her
51-year-old live-in boyfriend, Keith Davis. Before taking his own life, Davis also tragically shot and killed two of Kristina's young nieces who were in the home: 10-month-old Justice Burroughs and 2-year-old Katylin Bellamy. The violence of that night was witnessed in part by an 11-year-old girl who was also present in the residence. Davis assaulted the young girl, striking her with a firearm, but she managed to escape and alert neighbors to the unfolding tragedy. She was subsequently taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Responding to a call about a possible murder-suicide shortly after midnight, law enforcement discovered the deceased bodies of Kristina Burroughs, Keith Davis, and 10-month-old Justice Burroughs inside the home. The two-year-old, Katylin Bellamy, was transported to a local hospital but did not survive. Relatives and neighbors were left in shock, with one relative who lived next door reporting being awakened by the sound of numerous gunshots. Another neighbor described Kristina as a good, hard-working woman and expressed shock over the incident, stating they had never witnessed any arguments or signs of trouble from the couple.
The investigation conducted by the Horry County police concluded that Keith Davis was the sole perpetrator of the killings and that he acted alone in the triple murder-suicide. As Davis was deceased, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Kristina Burroughs and her two young nieces. The case stands as a grim reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence, an event that cut short the lives of three innocent victims and left a community in mourning.
