A warm and hardworking man, Stephen Wayne Grant Jr., a 34-year-old male, was known by friends and family as a loving and respectable individual. The owner of a business called 'Straight Up Natural,' he was building a life for himself and his loved ones in Charleston, South Carolina. Tragically, his life was cut short on the night of September 14, 2016, in a violent act that stunned the community.
That evening, as he left a convenience store at the intersection of Columbus and Hanover streets, he was ambushed and shot multiple times. First responders and concerned citizens rushed to his aid, applying pressure to his wounds as they waited for help to arrive. He was transported to the Medical University Hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the senseless killing soon uncovered a story of retaliation. Detectives with the Charleston Police Department learned that Stephen Grant had been serving as a confidential informant. His cooperation with law enforcement had directly led to the arrest and conviction of a man named Eugene Stanley Rollerson. On the night of the shooting, investigators found that a black SUV had been parked near the scene just before the attack. A figure matching Rollerson's description was seen getting out of the vehicle and concealing himself behind a fence, lying in wait. When Grant emerged from the store, the suspect ran towards him and opened fire. After the shooting, the assailant fled in the waiting SUV.
At the time of Grant's murder, Eugene Stanley Rollerson, then 26 years old, was already incarcerated at the Ridgeland Correctional Institution for unrelated offenses. This did not, however, deter investigators. Through diligent police work, they were able to connect Rollerson to the crime. His DNA and fingerprints were found inside the getaway vehicle, and a pistol located in the car was forensically linked to the bullets that killed Grant. While already in custody, Eugene Stanley Rollerson was charged with the murder of Stephen Wayne Grant Jr. and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, bringing a suspect to justice in a case that highlighted the grave dangers faced by those who cooperate with the law to keep their communities safe.
