In the summer of 2015, a dispute over money tragically cut short the life of a young man in Clemson, South Carolina. Robert Edrew 'Robby' Porter, a 23-year-old male, was fatally shot on August 1st and succumbed to his injuries the following day. The incident, which unfolded at the intersection of Issaqueena Trail and Cambridge Drive, stemmed from a disagreement that escalated to violence.
On that Saturday afternoon, Porter was a passenger in a vehicle driven by another man.
They had arranged to meet with 23-year-old Jaron Lamont Gibbs to settle a debt. Reports indicate that the victims had contacted Gibbs about money he owed them. The two parties met while stopped at the intersection, at which point Gibbs exited his vehicle and approached the other car.
An altercation ensued, during which Gibbs produced a handgun and pointed it at the driver. The driver reportedly pushed Gibbs' hand just as he fired a single shot. The bullet grazed the driver's head, causing a minor injury, but tragically struck Porter in the head. After the shooting, Gibbs fled the scene. Porter was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved fatal.
In the days that followed, law enforcement identified Jaron Lamont Gibbs as the primary suspect. A search for him was launched, and he was considered armed and dangerous. On August 4, 2015, Gibbs was apprehended in Atlanta, Georgia, by the U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force. He was subsequently extradited to Clemson to face charges for his alleged role in the shooting.
Gibbs was charged with murder, attempted murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Later court proceedings revealed that the dispute may have been related to a drug transaction that had occurred earlier that day. Despite an appeal in 2020, Jaron Lamont Gibbs was convicted of murder and the associated weapons charge for his role in the death of Robert Porter.
