In the Red Bank area of Lexington, South Carolina, on the evening of October 1, 2015, a verbal altercation at a home on Marty Lane escalated into a fatal shooting. Joshua M. Prine, a 27-year-old male, was killed during the dispute. The man responsible for his death was 31-year-old Marion Wade Frye Jr., who arrived at the residence armed with a handgun.
Witnesses reported that Frye began arguing with several people at the home, including Prine.
Despite attempts by others to de-escalate the situation and disarm him, Frye pulled the handgun from his waistband and fired it twice, striking the unarmed Prine in the back. Frye then fled the scene, prompting a manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies. He was apprehended the following day at a convenience store in Columbia by deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department. The weapon used in the shooting was never found. An investigation by the Lexington County Sheriff's Department revealed that Frye was involved in the illegal methamphetamine trade and was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior drug conviction.
Initially, Frye was charged with murder and possessing a weapon during a violent crime. A 26-year-old woman, Katelyn Turner, was also arrested and charged with being an accessory to murder for allegedly helping Frye escape from the scene. The legal proceedings against Frye began in February 2018. Partway through the trial, he entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. This offense is classified as a 'no parole' offense in South Carolina.
Following his plea, Marion Wade Frye Jr. was sentenced to 22 years in prison. During the sentencing hearing, Joshua Prine's mother, sister, and girlfriend shared powerful statements about the profound impact his death had on their lives. Law enforcement officials testified about the connection between the homicide and the prevalent issue of methamphetamine-related violence in the community, noting it as one of several recent killings linked to the drug.
