In a tragic turn of events on a late Saturday night in June, a life was cut short in a Columbia, South Carolina apartment complex. Marvetta Joann Rowe, a 26-year-old female, was fatally shot in the chest on June 25, 2016, at the Latimer Manor apartments on Lorick Circle. The incident, which occurred around 10 p.m., was initially investigated as a homicide, with police quickly identifying a person of interest.
The person of interest, 30-year-old Tameka Randal, was a friend of Rowe.
Randal surrendered to authorities the following day and was subsequently arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Investigators determined that Rowe and Randal had been handling a firearm inside an apartment when the fatal shot was fired. It was reported that the two friends had been drinking at a party and were engaged in what was described by the prosecutor as a 'fatal game of 'Russian Roulette.''
According to reports, Rowe handed a partially loaded pistol to Randal, who then pointed it at her friend and pulled the trigger, not believing the gun would fire. The bullet struck Rowe in the chest, near her armpit, and traveled through her heart, causing her to die at the scene. Randal expressed immense remorse for the death of her friend, maintaining that she never intended to cause her harm.
In July 2017, Tameka Randal was sentenced for her role in the death of Marvetta Rowe. A judge sentenced her to two years in state prison on a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Marvetta Rowe, affectionately known as 'Big Baby Whitley' by her family, was a mother to three children and a licensed cosmetologist. She was a graduate of Eau Claire High School and was remembered for her bright smile.
