In the quiet community of Sheldon, South Carolina, a family argument on a summer evening escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 61-year-old Ronnie Black. On the night of June 5, 2016, a verbal dispute on the front porch of a residence on Big Estates Circle turned violent, leaving Black fatally wounded. An autopsy would later reveal that he had been shot multiple times and had also suffered trauma from being struck with a blunt object.
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office
investigated the deadly encounter and swiftly identified a suspect. Joseph Brown, 35 years old at the time and the son-in-law of the victim, was taken into custody. He was initially charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Following further investigation and witness interviews, the charges against Brown were upgraded to include murder. Another man was also injured by gunfire during the altercation, which led to the attempted murder charge against Brown.
The investigation indicated that although Ronnie Black was in possession of a handgun during the dispute, witnesses stated he did not brandish it in a threatening manner towards Brown. The argument reportedly began on the porch of the residence.
Joseph Brown faced trial for the death of his father-in-law. In a turn of events, a jury acquitted him of the murder charge. However, he was found guilty of the attempted murder of his brother-in-law, Greg Black, who was also present during the incident. For the attempted murder conviction and the weapons charge, Joseph Brown was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was denied bond after his initial arrest and remained in the Beaufort County Detention Center.
