On a summer evening in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a dispute escalated into deadly violence, claiming the life of 27-year-old Marquis Jamal Burgess. The incident, which also resulted in the death of 26-year-old Dameion Hakeem Alston, unfolded on July 23, 2016, near a fire station in the Booker T. Washington neighborhood. Responding to the sound of gunshots and pounding on their door, firefighters discovered both Burgess and Alston critically wounded.
Despite being rushed to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, their injuries proved fatal. Burgess was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly focused on 29-year-old Calvin Derrell Ford. In a stroke of investigative luck, both Burgess and Ford were wearing GPS monitoring devices provided by the Horry County Sheriff's Department due to prior legal issues. This technology placed both men at the scene of the crime at the time of the shooting. Witnesses reported that a verbal altercation between Ford and Burgess preceded the gunfire. Ford was apprehended the following day without incident and charged with two counts of murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The legal proceedings that followed revealed a history of conflict between Ford and Burgess. During a 'stand your ground' hearing, Ford testified that Burgess had assaulted him five years prior, resulting in significant injuries and ongoing fear for his life. He claimed that on the night of the shooting, Burgess was armed and had threatened him. Ford asserted that he acted in self-defense after a gun became available during a tussle involving Alston. However, the judge rejected his claim for immunity, and the case proceeded to a jury trial in November 2019. Another man, Aliga Dasun Campbell, was also charged and tried in connection with the incident.
After hearing the evidence, the Horry County jury delivered a mixed verdict. They acquitted Aliga Campbell of all charges. For Calvin Ford, the jury found him not guilty of the murder of Dameion Hakeem Alston. However, he was found guilty of the murder of Marquis Jamal Burgess, as well as the two weapons charges. Subsequently, a judge sentenced Calvin Derrell Ford to life in prison. An appeal of his conviction was later heard by the Court of Appeals of South Carolina, which addressed certain aspects of his sentencing but ultimately upheld the murder conviction.
