In the summer of 2016, a quiet community in Darlington, South Carolina, was shaken by the tragic deaths of 52-year-old Denise Couplin and her 9-year-old granddaughter, Deziyah Davis. On the morning of July 17th, a relative discovered their bodies inside their home located off Bobo Newsome Highway. Both victims had been shot.
The investigation quickly led law enforcement to a married couple, Cephas and Katherine Cowick.
Investigators learned that Cephas Cowick had a prior relationship with Couplin, having done work for her and even lived in her home at one point. It was revealed that Couplin had spoken to others about receiving threatening calls from him leading up to the murders. The motive for the killings appeared to be robbery, as investigators found that Couplin’s home had been ransacked and her Cadillac Escalade was later found burned on Birdsnest Road.
Within a day of the discovery, both Cephas, then 23, and Katherine, then 25, were arrested and charged with murder. During the investigation, authorities located a. 380 handgun at the Cowick residence, along with pills and a debit card belonging to Couplin. Witnesses also came forward stating that Cephas Cowick had discussed robbing Couplin and had even drawn a layout of her home.
In June 2020, Cephas Cowick pleaded guilty to two counts of murder to avoid the death penalty. He admitted to being dropped off at Couplin's home by his wife on the morning of the murders. He entered the home and shot Couplin and her granddaughter. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In June 2025, Katherine Cowick was convicted on charges of Accessory Before the Fact to Armed Robbery and Accessory Before the Fact to Burglary in the First Degree, though she was acquitted of being an accessory to murder. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
