In the early hours of January 9, 2016, a tragic and violent encounter unfolded in a camper located in the Lake Secession area of Iva, South Carolina, resulting in the death of 25-year-old Casey Waddell. Waddell, a male U.S. Army veteran, was one of two men who lost their lives that day in what authorities described as an attempted armed robbery gone fatally wrong.
The incident was fueled by a plan to steal illegal narcotics and money, a plan that ultimately spiraled into a deadly exchange of gunfire.
The events leading to the deaths began when a group of individuals conspired to rob Justin Ray Williams, 32, at his residence. The group included Casey Waddell, Wesley Charles Malmister, Tabitha Suzanne Roberts, Brandon Scott Davis, and Randall M. Simpson. Roberts was instructed to contact Williams to set up a purported drug transaction. Upon their arrival at the camper on Pierce and Amy Road, the situation escalated dramatically. Waddell, armed with an assault rifle, entered the camper and demanded that Williams 'give it up'. Williams, who was also armed, responded by firing a single shot that struck Waddell in the head, killing him instantly. In the immediate aftermath, Randall Simpson entered the camper and shot Williams multiple times, causing his death.
The investigation by the Anderson County Sheriff's Office led to the arrest of the surviving members of the group. Malmister, Roberts, Davis, and Simpson all faced serious charges, including murder and attempted armed robbery. During the course of the legal proceedings, three of the co-defendants, Roberts, Davis, and Malmister, provided full confessions to the authorities. Randall M. Simpson ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of murder and one count of voluntary manslaughter, among other charges, and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Wesley Malmister and Tabitha Roberts both received sentences of 25 years in prison for two counts of voluntary manslaughter and attempted armed robbery, to be served concurrently. Brandon Scott Davis was sentenced to 20 years for his role in the fatal events. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice for the families of the victims, though it could not undo the tragic loss of two lives in a violent crime driven by what the solicitor described as drug addiction and greed.
