In the summer of 2016, a burst of violence on a Friday afternoon in Sumter, South Carolina, ended the life of 28-year-old Ante Lavern Witherspoon. On July 15th, just after 4 p.m., police were called to Dibert Street where they discovered Witherspoon's body outside of a residence, the victim of a fatal shooting. An autopsy later confirmed that he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
A resident of Sumter, Ante was a graduate of Sumter High School.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect. Authorities identified 28-year-old Bernie Peoples III as the alleged shooter and issued a warrant for his arrest on a murder charge. In a swift turn of events, Peoples turned himself in to the Sumter Police Department the very next day and was taken into custody. He was subsequently held at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.
As the investigation deepened, law enforcement sought to question five other men who they believed might have information regarding Witherspoon's death. These individuals—Dontrell Devontae Dean, 22; Tavoris Lamont Gaillard, 22; Kennan Alonza Georgia, 24; Bernard Colin Peoples, 22; and Arkeylin Keytron Scott, 23—were also wanted in connection with a mob assault that had occurred just two days prior to the shooting, on July 13th. Warrants were issued for their arrest on charges of third-degree assault and battery by a mob.
